The Yes Game
by LilliCricket
Summary: Bella, Jake and the pack are Juniors and loving life as long time best friends. What happens when the easy going Bella Swan is challenged by Jake to the Yes Game? Bella finds herself in situations she never even imagined...and all bc of the stupid game...
1. The Yes Game

**The Yes Game**

**A/N: Inspired by an episode of the UK version of Skins :)**

Chapter one: The Yes Game

**Jacob's POV**

"Common Bells don't be such a wuss. Just come with us this one time and I'll never ask you to do anything ever again, promise." As I shamelessly pled for Bella's compliance, I reached across the sticky cafeteria table and snatched her hands from the counter before proceeding to press them up against my chest. I stuck my lip out pitifully and begged her with my eyes. "Pretty, pretty, pretty please?"

"No Jake," she laughed, shaking her head while attempting to jerk her hands away from my grip. "I will not go cliff diving with you, for the ten billionth time! I've told you before and I'll tell you again: I'll hang out with you and the guys while you live out your little daredevil fantasies, but I refuse to break my neck for your own amusement! Kim and I will tan while you guys do your thing, how does that sound?"

I couldn't help but bark a laugh. "You? Tan? Ha!"

"Shut up! It's possible," she insisted uselessly. "All I need is the right sun block, that's all."

"Riiiight," I droned sarcastically, earning another powerful yet ineffective yank from her hands. "It's okay Bells, red is so the new brown." I smiled at her wickedly and made sure to reveal all 32 of my pearly whites as she struggled to release her wrists in an effort to no doubt smack me upside the head.

Bella desperately tried to hide that fact that she was masking the smirk that threatened to form on her face, but I knew her too well. "You're definitely not helping your case, Black," she grumbled, avoiding my gaze in order not to laugh. She always called me Black whenever she "meant business," and Mr. Black when she "_really_ meant business."

I moved my head to the side and caught her humor filled eyes. "Common, just this once."

"Can't keep your hands off of her huh Jake?" Quil announced loudly from beside me. A hazardous hamburger dangled from his hands as he leered over at Bella and winked. "Can't say I blame the man." It was only the first day at school and Quil had already managed to get on my nerves.

"Shut up Quil," Bella and I said at the same time. While Bella's voice was light with endearment, mine screamed 'fuck off.'

Quil, grinning like the little bastard he was, lifted his hands up in surrender and feigned innocence.

"What're you guys doing over there?" Jared asked from the other end of the table. Apparently the small predicament Bella and I were in was drawing more attention than intended.

Embry surprised me by answering for us. "Jake's trying to get Bella to go cliff diving with us later, but I think his efforts are useless." How many people had been listening in to our conversation? To Bella's grand relief I finally released her hands.

"No kidding?" Jared asked, throwing his attention over to Bella.

"Don't get your hopes up Jare. Embry is right. There's no way in hell I'm—"

"Did someone say we're going Cliff Diving later?" Seth cut in excitedly. He was the runt of our group; the only freshmen in our pack of juniors but we loved the kid for some twisted reason so we kept him around.

"Yep, and Bella-Wella over here's joining us—finally." That snarky comment came from none other than Paul. When did he become a part of his conversation anyway? Bella threw me an exasperated look across the rickety cafeteria table that separated us. _Look what you've done now_, her eyes screamed at me accusatorily. I smiled lazily in response, knowing she wasn't actually upset with me.

"Wait, you're actually jumping with them? I thought we agreed we'd stick with tanning," Kim hissed into Bella's ear—which was totally ridiculous if you thought about it. Bella got sunburned so easily she turned bright red whenever she applied _tanning lotion_, and Kim, being Native American, had a natural tan all year round. No matter how much I knew Bella inside and out, I'd never come to fully comprehend the overall world of _girls_ and why they did the crazy things that they did.

Bella's eyes widened as she turned to Kim in order to explain. "No! I mean, yes, we're still going to ta—"

"I thought you guys were helping me with my environmental project after school!" Leah interjected; pulling Kim's attention away from Bella.

Per usual, our table had turned into a wild animal house. Everyone was hollering at once, savagely competing for each other's attention while listening to what others had to say the same time. We were in sync with each other, yet completely out of tune with the rest of the world. And that's just the way it was with us, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"I am not going with you," Bella growled at me. She leaned into the table and grabbed its edge. Almost in a mocking way, I mirrored her actions so that we were face to face. I stared deep into my favorite chocolate eyes and fought against the urge to lean in all the way. Sigh, yeah. It was like that.

Don't get me wrong, Bella and I would date eventually. We were meant for each other, that I was sure of, but I'd spent years building the effortless relationship we had now and I wasn't about to compromise that with one wrong move. The time was coming when I was going to make that move too, but not yet. Maybe in a few months or so. I didn't want to rush her. I was her "Best Friend." S_igh_. Awesome at times, but blue-ballish at others.

"Yes you are," I countered challengingly. A familiar spark alighted her eyes. It was a funny thing really, Bella was a scaredy cat when it came to trying most things, but if you point it out and dangle that fact in front of her face, she'll deny it as if her life depended on it.

She quirked one of her perfectly plucked eyebrows and shook her head defiantly. "No. I'm. Not."

"Yes. You. Are."

"Nope."

"Yep."

"No."

"No."

"Yes."

"Ha! You said yes!" I pointed at her triumphantly and did a small happy dance in my seat. I quickly stopped before any of my friends could see—I was usually manlier than that …I swear. Bella was my soft spot and always managed to find a way to bring out the kid in me.

Bella paused to mull over my words. "Hey, no fair," she finally whined. Even her whine was cute. "You always do that to me. But you said no before I said yes, so technically…"

I rolled my eyes. "Okay smart ass, obviously arguing with you is more useless than arguing with Charlie."

"Whoa, I'm not as stubborn as Charlie," she claimed defensively. I bit back a smirk. Knowing exactly what to say to break her down was almost too easy.

"Sure, sure," I sighed dramatically. "But seriously, you're absolutely zero fun." That was one of the biggest lies of the year, but sometimes you gotta play dirty to prove a point.

"I so too am fun," she countered, crossing her arms and watching me with an amused glint in her eye. "Quil, wouldn't you say I'm fun?" She asked sweetly, sending Quil an adorable smile.

I grumbled, disgusted at her use of tactic.

"Of course sweet thing," Quil responded with a sleazy smile. What forty year old sex offender taught him how to sound like such a pedophile? "I'd play with you all day long…" He trailed off once he caught the look of death in my eye. "If Jake would share his toys once and a while," he grumbled softly before turning away with a huff.

"See?" Bella practically cheered. "I'm the definition of fun."

Why was Quil the only one allowed to say such perverted shit to Bella? I shook my head at her disapprovingly. The fact that those two were always flirting with each other had always grated on my nerves. Bella insisted it was just harmless, jovial banter between two good friends, but the fact that he'd been asking her out on dates for the past three years completely negated every excuse Bella could pull out of her firm, perfect ass. Not that he was the only guy busting Bella's door down to take her out, not even close, but he was the only one she tolerated and openly reciprocated the overtly flirty comments with. Yuck.

"Bells, I'm sorry to tell you this, but you're kind of drag," I lied. Bella's smug smile slowly slipped from her face.

"You're just saying that because I don't want to go diving with you."

"Who are you trying to convince here, me or yourself?" I tilted my head pityingly and laid a comforting hand over hers. "Face it. You never challenge yourself. I can think of so many instances of you missing out on all the excitement due to your phobia of fun."

Bella snatched her hand out from under mine and hissed, "I do not have a phobia of fun.

I narrowed my eyes into slits. "Oh yeah? Then what did you say when everyone in the class decided to flash Mrs. Moore when she came in the room in the second grade?"

Bella stared back at me incredulously. "Are you serious? Second grade? And in my defense, I'm a _girl. _Excuse me for not wanting to expose myself in front of everyone,"

"Leah, Kim and Claire did it," I countered quickly. "And you were as flat as a cardboard back then so don't try to go there."

Bella blushed madly and unconsciously wrapped her arms around her chest. It was no secret Bella had big boobs; they sprouted out of nowhere back in middle school when us guys didn't even know we were interested in them. Bella has been self conscious of her large breast size ever since they first appeared on her tiny body and so she continuously wore sweaters day after day to hide what God had mercifully given her. Not that her sweaters weren't nice or anything; she forever managed to come to school in a new sweater, clean and usually eye catching, and when hot, she sported shorts to go with it.

Did I mention how much I loved hot weather?

"Hit me with another example Black," she challenged, eying me scornfully.

I didn't hesitate. "Eight Grade: end of the year Port Angeles field trip. What did you say when we decided to ditch the museum and sneak into that rated R movie instead?"

"Jake that was—"

I didn't allow her another word. "What did you say?"

Her lips pressed into a thin line before answering. "I said no."

"What did you say when we all wanted to egg Felix Lumber's house after he got our bathroom privileges taken away in seventh grade for writing graffiti all over the bathroom stalls?"

Bella's mouth quirked as she fought back the explanation that visibly rose up her throat and threatened to release itself. I threw her a warning look before she sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I told you guys we shouldn't." She answered ruefully.

"How about when we caught that wild squirrel in the forest and wanted to set it loose in the Uley's open window?"

"I said no," she sighed.

"And that time Quil was sleeping and everyone agreed to shave his head?"

"Still no."

"When Paul downloaded the answers to our Biology final last year and offered you a copy?"

A dreadful realization seeped into Bella's features as she answered my line of questions. "Nah-no again."

"What about the time Jared found a hot pink thong in Mr. Abel's desk on the last day of school and took pictures? What did you tell him when he was about to post that dispicable evidence online?"

Bella took a deep breath. "I told him…I—I told him…_Oh my God._ Jake, I _am_ a funaphobic!"

Her face crumpled and slammed itself into her upturned palms. I stared at her in surprise. I had not been expecting that.

She slowly slid her hands up her face and ran it through the roots of her wavy hair. "I can't believe you never told me," she groaned, looking unbelievably sexy as she fisted her hair with her eyes closed.

I swiftly gathered myself before she opened her eyes and reached across the table to pat her arm. "I'm sorry Bells. I know how hard this must be for you."

Despite my convincing display, I never actually had thought of Bella as a…funaphobic as interestingly she put it. All of the things I'd previously mentioned where just some of the crazy, immature stunts the guys and I were always pulling; most of which the other girls refused to engage in as well. But I couldn't admit that to Bella now, as she wallowed in her one self pity across the table from me. Mmm, self damnation looked really good on Bella…Jake! Focus man, focus!

"What should I do?" Bella begged. Interesting, the roles were now reversed. Bella was now pleading with _me_.

"Just loosen up and live a little," I advised genuinely. _Open up to the idea of being more than just my friend for once._ Just as the fleeting thought passed my mind, an epiphany smacked me right in the face. My whole body to froze up as my mind tried to make sense of my ingenious, yet cavorting thoughts.

"Okay I can do that," Bella was nodding, but it wasn't convincing.

I felt the devious smile curl up in my lips before Bella noticed it and narrowed suspicious eyes at me. "What?" she demanded, knowing my facial expressions all too well.

"Do you really want some excitement in your life Bells?" I asked so intently I almost creeped my self out.

She nodded her head hesitantly. "Yeah. I mean, I suppose so…Why?"

"I've got the perfect challenge for you," I informed her. "But you have to agree to it before I can tell you what it is."

Bella glared at me like I was insane. "What? N—"

"Really? Reverting back to your old ways already?" I condescended, shaking my head in a disappointed manner.

Bella's mouth dropped. Once she saw that I was right though, she snapped it shut with a huff. "Fine. Whatever. Sure, I'll do your little challenge. What is it?"

I released a broad smile just as the lunch bell rang. Class would start in ten minutes. "Here's the challenge: You have to say yes for now on. To everything, no exceptions."

Wide brown eyes took over most of her face when I finished stating the game's simple rules. "I have to say yes to everything? What are you insane? How does that help with anything?"

"How doesn't it help Bella? You're so bent on rejecting every single instance of fun sent your way. This way you have to agree to everything anyone asks of you, no matter how risky, or God forbid, _fun_ it may be. It's genius really. Admit it Bells, its genius."

Bella's eyes reduced in size and she actually cracked an amused smile. "Yeah," she nodded slowly, getting in to the whole idea. "Okay. I can do it. We have to set down some rules first. Don't think I'm jumping into this blindly."

"Of course," I obliged. Sitting up straight and intertwining my fingers in front of me, I took the posture of a salesmen who was about to negotiate with one of his cusomers. "First, you can't tell anyone about this game. That'll just make people ask you to do crazy things and even _I_ don't want you getting too wild on me."

"Couldn't agree more," she affirmed. "Okay, rule two: There has to be some exceptions to the rule. The obvious ones I mean, like I can say no if someone asks me to commit homicide and bury the body in a deserted ditch downtown… or, you know, something along those lines."

"You're a psycho for even thinking that up."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "What? Serial Killer Tactics One oh One."

I grinned as I lifted myself from the table. To my surprise, I found that most of our friends had already hurried off to get to class. After I slung my backpack over my shoulder and flung the rest of my lunch into a near by trash can, I slid Bella's books off the table and gathered them into my arms.

"Ready to go, my new adventurous friend?" I sang, smiling.

A weird look crossed Bella's features as she helped herself out of her seat and began to walk beside me as we headed to class. "Actually, I have one more rule Jake."

"Oh, well alright." I barely even heard her, I was so keyed up. My brain spiraled with the endless possibilities that automatically came with her acceptance of the game. Think of all of the things I could have her do! Okay, I'd definitely have to get my mind out of the gutter if I was going to function like a normal human being for the rest of the day… and I'm talking a normal human being without a perpetual tent in his pants.

I gazed down at the girl responsible for my racing mind, my thumping heart, and the strain in my boxers. Wavy mahogany hair thumped rhythmically which each step she took as her wet lips that soundlessly glided against each other, distracting me from all other surroundings. The mile long eyelashes that shot out like straight spider webs before her eyes disappeared for a moment, completely replaced by the cocoa of her iris' as she looked up at me with a questioning gaze. I watched her wet lips glide together silently again, wondering when the speed of sound would allow her sweet voice to fill my ears.

"Jacob? Are you listening?" Ah, there it was. As bad ass as I liked to perpetuate myself as being among my peers, I sure was a jelly donut when it came to my sexy little weakness that walked buoyantly beside me.

"Sorry, can you repeat por favor?" I threw her a dazzling smile I hoped she wouldn't be able to resist.

She graced me with a smile ten times more dazzling than mine. "Spanish was last period bucko," she quipped, dropping her smile and punching my arm. That was her way of telling me she wasn't falling for my shit.

I kept walking until I felt a sharp tug at the edge of my shirt sleeve. "Jake! Where are you going? This is my class you crazy goof. And you have my books," She shook her head at me and reached up to tap my forehead. "Where did you go in the past twenty seconds? It's like you've completely forgotten where you are."

I grinned apologetically as I handed the books to her. "Sorry, sorry. I'm a little excited about this game we have going on I guess." Talk about the understatement of the year.

"Right, about that," she began, shifting her books in her arms. "Like I was saying before you drifted off to Neverland; I've got one more rule I want to lay down before this thing goes into effect."

"No problem. What is it?"

"You're not allowed to participate," she stated, matter of fact. I blinked a couple of times before responding. What did she mean I couldn't participate?

Bella tilted her head and answered my unspoken question. "What I'm saying is, you're not allowed to ask me to do stuff. It's not fair, since you already know the challenge details," she shrugged. "Plus, knowing you, you'd abuse your power."

What? No! This wasn't the way it was supposed to go! "But—but!"

"No buts Black," she asserted sternly. "This is about me exploring more options than I ever have before. It's not about you having the excuse to bully me and have me do things you want to see me do."

"Don't be irrational," I wheezed helplessly.

"You were sincere when you said you didn't want me to be a drag anymore, right? That you wanted me to have a life full of fun and risk and youthful mistakes?"

"Bells please..."

"_Right?"_

Deflating, I sighed in defeat. "Yeah, yeah."

"Then let me have that Jake. I'll go along with this…this…yes game for as long as you want, but you have to promise to agree to my last guideline. We only have three rules after all and you have to admit, I'm being pretty generous on my end of the bargain."

I wanted to stomp my feet and throw a fit. It was my idea damn it! Mine! How could my own epiphany come back to bite me in the ass in a matter of minutes? The warning bell sounded off in the halls and I knew I had lost the battle.

"Fine," I grumbled. The one word was barely distinguishable as it left my lips but it was good enough for Bella.

"Yay!" she cheered, hopping a little and grinning up at me. "This is going to be awesome. The start of a new me."

I couldn't help the quark of my lips as I watch my dream girl and best friend radiate the happiness she deserved to have 24/7. If only she hadn't issued that last rule…

"Open the door for me?" she asked.

"Of course." Luckily my classroom was right next door to Bella's so I knew I wouldn't be late to class.

I swung open the door and watched Bella quickly scurry inside with her hands full of books and papers. The horny eyes following her movement across the class room didn't go unbeknownst to me. I knew very well how much the boys at our school craved to have a go with Bella—believe me, I shared the same locker room with most of them for P.E. I glared holes into their general direction, catching and holding more than few of their attention and my stare sent their eyes diving down to their toes. Right where they belonged.

"Hey, Bella Smella, sit next to me!" I groaned. Of course Quil would be in this class with Bella. I spotted Quil near the back of the class just as he shoved the nerdy looking kid out of the seat beside him before Bella had a chance to see. "Over here! It's totally empty."

Bella's eyes found his and she smiled gratefully. Then she glanced up at me and smiled even wider. "Thanks you," she mouthed as she sat next to the biggest walking and talking pain in the ass.

I nodded in acknowledgement but I struggled to find it in me to actually leave. Class would be starting in a minute or so and I didn't want to be late for the first day.

As I turned to leave, I paused momentarily when I heard the voices of Bella and Quil ring in my ears.

"So, you going cliff diving with us after school today?" Quil asked. I could almost see him eying Bella through the back of my head.

"Um…" Bella pondered for a second before responding. "Yes."

Her voice sounded so beautiful as she said the words.

"Oh nice," Quil responded huskily. He knew how to make everything he said sound creepy. "I knew you'd come around."

"I'm actually really pumped for it."

"You know, if you jump from those kinds of heights, you can't wear those huge dark T-shirts you always wear whenever we go swimming."

"And why is that?"

"Cause," Quil reasoned. "It'll catch in the wind and…um…slow your fall. Yeah. And that's no fun." I clenched the door handle. Quil that bastard! Bella always wore large dark shirts over her bathing suit whenever we went swimming. She started doing it after her chest had expanded to a certain size but I don't think it had to do with insecurity as much as it had to do with the fact she always swam with six other teenage guys she considered to be her brothers. Would you want you're brother thinking of you as a sex symbol? No, didn't think so.

"I think I'll survive Quilly," she laughed.

"Common Bellie," he sang, causing her to giggle more. I hated when they started speaking to each other in baby talk.

"What do you want from me?" She sighed with a smile evident in her voice. I wanted to smack my hand over my eyes in exasperation. Was it too late to cancel the whole Yes Game charade and call it day? _He wants to see you parade around more than half naked Bella!_ I wanted to scream. I automatically envisioned Bella in her bathing suit, strutting around the sand in that tight, wet…okay, thinking about this was definitely not helping matters down below. What angered me about the situation was thinking about Quil and the guys watching her in the way I wanted to, and that was _not_ okay with me. I secretly loved Bella's modesty. If I couldn't see it, no one else deserved to see it either.

"Don't wear that damned shirt when we cliff dive today, okay? Where a bikini like the other girls do for once. Will you do it? For me Bellie-Wellie?"

There was a brief silence. Then the final bell rang. Shit I was late. I slowly slipped out of the room. But not fore hearing Bella's confident voice before I left.

"O—okay. I will. You know what Quil? Yes!"

**A/N: You like? This little idea has been swimming inside my head for AGES so I finally sat my butt down and wrote it all out.**

**Should I even continue? I have a lot of ideas for this story…like a LOT that'll involve tons of fun scenarios in which Bella simply cannot refuse! Heehee…**

**But if you don't REVIEW and let me know if you like where this crazy little story is going, then I guess I'll have to discontinue. :(**

_**(IF YOU READ MY OTHER STORY FAWNING OVER SWAN PLEASE CONTINUE READING THIS A/N)**_

**My Beautiful beloved FOS readers! I have disappointed you once again! ****I left for a long trip and guess who forgot her computer…**

**That's why this whole story (The Yes Game) even came to be. I've been so restless to write fan fiction but I don't have my FOS documents with me so I can't edit my **_**ALREADY COMPLETE**_** next chapter (which I lied, wont be short and sweet, it's actually my longest chapter yet which **_**hopefully**_** makes up for the impossible wait) so I sat down an wrote this one out to show you all that I haven't fallen off the face of the planet. Let me stop rambling before you forget whether or not you liked the story!**

**Love you lots!**

**XO LCricket**


	2. Just Let Go

Chapter 2: Just Let Go

**Bella's POV**

"I'm so glad you're going to take off that hideous men's shirt you always wear at the beach, Bella" Kim commented as she, Leah, and I languidly made our way across the frozen sand of First Beach and neared our rowdy group of male friends who where just a few yards away. Kim flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder and eyed me approvingly. "It's about time you let the girls out to play; they need some oxygen from time to time you know. I mean dang girl, if I had your knockers, there'd be no way I'd still be a virgin right now."

Throwing her an exasperated look, I unconsciously crossed my arms around my chest and drew in a deep breath as an uneasy wave of nausea steamrolled over my stomach. I took a reluctant glance down at myself. Yeah, so what if I was wearing my signature XXL Men's Navy Blue (always solid and non transparent) T shirt over my _way_ too skimpy and _way_ too revealing black two piece bathing suit that my mother had shipped to me last year after I had informed her that I outgrew all of my one pieces and needed to restock?

And someone please remind me again why I was so incredibly shocked when I opened up the huge box of what I was expecting to be occupied by one or two safe, solid colored one-pieces, only to find the box filled to the brim with a festive variety of multicolored string bikinis accompanied with these enormous oversized sunglasses, a miniature fan, and some SPF 65 sunscreen for the bleak Washington sun? Outraged upon the shipment's arrival, I almost pounded out an email to Renee that read something along the lines of, _Thanks so much for all the beach equipment mom, but I think you meant to send all this stuff to your other daughter, I dunno, a secret love child maybe? You know, the one that lives in Miami and tans like a Playboy Bunny? I, on the other hand, am still waiting on my one-piece and maybe a nice summer umbrella, so try not to mix up Washington and Florida on the address part again 'kay? Awesome. Love, Bella._

I would have just marched down to Port Angeles myself and scavenged for a tasteful one-piece that respected all of my assets, but the girls literally would not let me leave La Push to make such a trip. Kim would sternly reason that my body was made for bathing suits like bikinis and such while Leah would flatly state that she couldn't be seen at the beach with a "skinny girl in a one-piece." I've never been entirely sure why that was, but every time I asked she'd just shrugged and say it was based on principle.

So how did I combat all of these overpowering forces that seemed almost desperate to pressureme into an outfit in which I was entirely too uncomfortable to sport? Well, say hello to by large friend Big Fat Dark T Shirt. He, along with about ten other companions who mirror his appearance more or less, have successfully concealed the horrors of the overtly scandalous string bikinis my mother and friends insist on by proving to be a more than appropriate alternative of attire when hanging out at the beach with the boys.

That is, until I agreed to the Yes Game.

Damn.

"For real though," Leah chimed in while gazing at me with her signature Know-it-all smirk from behind her dark sunglasses. "It looks like Bee here has learned to grow some balls after all. Listen, I can understand you wanting to take a walk on the wild side by diving off one of the highest, most unstable and dangerously deteriorated cliff with the boys, but actually wearing _a bathing suit_? At a _beach _of all places? Where people can actually _see_ you? That is what is blowing my mind right now. What on earth has gotten into you?"

I let out a loud scoff and whipped my hand against Leah's toned arm to demonstrate my annoyance with her and Kim's antics. Unfortunately, this reactionary move only encouraged the two further.

"Seriously! Bella hasn't shown her cleavage to her shower, much less anyone else," Kim crackled, apparently determined to pick up where Leah left off. "Shit Bell, are you sure you want to do this? If you're exposing your arms and your legs to the sun everyday and they're still as white as they are, I can't imagine what your tits are going to look like after they're unleashed from their century long banishment!"

As Leah tried, and failed, to contain her laughter, I just shook my head with a tight lipped smile and kept on charging forward. Little did they know how very much aware I was of the truth behind each and every one of their joking jabs. The words were burning to escape my throat. _"I made a bet to Jake! It's not my decision I swear!" _But I'm no wuss when it comes to a challenge, especially if it pertains to my alleged lack of "funness," so I pursed my lips shut.

"Okay, okay enough Kim," Leah exhaled after her sputtering fit. "We don't want Bella to change her mind now do we?"

Kim's eyes widened and her smile faltered. "Oh, no way. You know we're kidding around right Bee? We're just in total shock and happiness that you're finally going to show off that hot bod of yours. Look at us, we don't even know how to react."

"Don't worry I know," I stated calmly. Jared waved at me from further along the beach and I waved back with a strained smile. With a large gulp I decided to calm my nerves and wipe out any fearful panic that lurked just below the surface of my cool.

Just then, two muscled arms had wrapped around my shoulders from behind and a head full of shaggy brown hair popped up next to the side of my head. I knew instantly it was Quil. "Hey perfect," he sang in my ear with a dazzling sweetness. I laughed and allowed a big smile to stretch across my face.

"Hey hot stuff," I responded quickly, as always, feeding into our feigned flirty banter. Quil chuckled deeply in my ear then slowly slid his arms away from around me until his hands rested on my shoulder blades where he began to massage.

"You're so tense," Quil assessed from behind while propelling me forward. "Being so flawless on a daily basis must be such hard work."

I giggled at his words while simultaneously trying not to sigh in pleasure. Quil was a _really_ good massager.

"Well I have to keep up with you somehow. If I start slacking in that department you're not going to want to be around me anymore –which would just crush me," I replied emphatically, causing Leah and Kim to cough and sputter in disgust. Everyone hated it when Quil and I got like this around each other, which was quite often. We both relished in their revulsion and continued on with our Soap Opera worthy dialogs as if no one was in the room, or in this case, on the beach.

"You two make me want to puke," Leah complained with a grimace on her face.

Kim shook her head in agreement and announced, "Honestly, just fuck already and get it over with!" This of course, caused Leah to crack up. In my entire 16 years of life, I've never met anyone quite like Kim. This grounded, yet utterly adorable girly girl possessed enough love in her heart to humble the devil and enough vulgarity in her vocabulary to supply said devil with for a year. Leah strictly chose to be blunt and harsh with everything she said whereas Kim…well Kim spoke without a filter, causing her to unapologetically blurt out whatever was on her mind whether it is profound, or completely inappropriate.

"Who should fuck and get it over with?" A new, unmistakable voice boomed from in front of us. I looked up to find Jake staring back at the four of us ponderously.

Leah snapped her thumb over at Quil and me and grumbled. "Those two love birds. They're nauseating us all with their nonstop flirting."

"Someone's jealous," I mused, smirking at Leah's incredulous expression. As tough as she was, she was so easy to tease.

"As if," she scoffed before grabbing Kim's hand and turning to leave. "Have fun on your death jump girly," she threw snarkily over her shoulder. "So can't wait to hear all about it at your funeral." With a flickering wave and a wicked wink, Leah stalked off with Kim in tow leaving me with the two boys.

"Hmm," Quil buzzed from behind. "I'm not entirely sure who one that round."

I smirked. "With Leah, the battle is never over."

Adjusting his hold on me, Quil dropped one of his messaging hands from my shoulder and slid his arm across the top of my back, resting it there heavily. "I'll never understand you girls," he sighed, casting a bemused look down at me.

I nudged him and snorted. "What do you mean? You and the guys tease each other ten times worse than us girls do."

Quil's gray eyes alighted and he shook his head in disagreement. "We do not."

"You so do too."

"Do not."

"Do too!"

"Do Not!"

"Do too!"

"Do N—"

"Okay okay, the girls are worse," I relented breathily. Quil grinned down at me, victorious. He squeezed my shoulder before letting me go with a satisfied grunt.

"Nah, you're right. Guys are brutal. Chicks fights are a walk in the park," he finally admitted.

My eyes widened and I huffed. "Then why did you—"

"Cause I like ruffling your adorable little feathers Bellie," he quickly interrupted before reaching out and, quite predictably, ruffling my hair with one of his large hands.

When I playfully stuck my tongue out at Quil, my eyes involuntarily swayed over to Jake who was still standing in front of us, still as stone, and watching the silly interaction with an off putting scrutiny. His slightly narrowed eyes flickered darkly between Quil and me, and his eyebrows were lightly furrowed; creating an expression of calculation and disturbance—an expression that did not sit well with me.

So, I spoke up. "Is something wrong Jake?" His gaze continued to flit from Quil, to me, to Quil again, to me… finally resting there. Jake blinked a couple times before clearing his throat deeply and responding.

"No," he stated rather gruffly. Noticing this, Jake shook his head and coughed in his fist. "I mean, nothing's wrong. It's just…" He looked next to me again. At Quil. His attention snapped back to my face in the next instant. "Nothing. Are you ready Bells?"

"Ready for what?" I peeped, still perplexed by his behavior.

"To go cliff diving?" He responded slowly. "That's why you're here isn't it?" A small Jacob-like smile quirked his lips.

I was so close to Quil that I could feel the vibrations of his chuckles next to me. "Be patient with Bella, Jake. Being near me makes her a little foggy headed. It's normal."

"I'm quite alright actually," I cut in quickly before Jake could respond. "And yes, to answer your question, I'm ready. As ready as I'll ever be anyway. We set to go?"

Visibly relaxing, Jake reached for my hand and snatched me away from Quil's side. I couldn't help but to melt into a comfortable happiness when his large hand enveloped my tiny one in his warm, secure grasp.

"Oh yeah. Embry was looking for you earlier," Jake said fleetingly while turning his back against Quil, and dragging me along with him, to begin our walk up the steep cliff. "He said you'd help him find towels or something like that. I dunno."

"Shit. 'Forgot," Quil hissed from behind us. Jake had already pulled me quite a bit away from him. "Don't worry, I'll be up there soon too sweetheart!" He called out, now sounding relatively far away.

"Okay!" I called back with a quick turn.

"Actually I was talking to Jake," he responded loudly before winking at me devilishly and taking off in the opposite direction.

I coughed out a laugh and swung myself forward, and in doing so, I felt my hands slip out of Jake's. Apparently, this hadn't gone unnoticed because he cast another puzzled glance down at me as we walked. "What? Now that you've got Quil you can't hold my hand anymore?"

Throwing him an annoyed glare, I grabbed his limp hand up from his side and forced it around my shoulder. Snuggling into the familiar space between his arm and his torso, I lovingly peeped up at him through my long eyelashes, pouted my lips and declared, "Nonsense."

With his lips twitching, my best friend fought the gratified grin that urged to stretch across the expanse of his handsome face, but he lost the battle and he smiled down at me with all the glorious radiance that was my Jacob. "Thatta Girl," he said, obviously appeased, and then pulled me in closer to his side as we trudged up the cliff.

At that moment, my heart warmed as it impounded with the unique fullness that only occurred within my body when Jacob was in my vicinity. Over the countless years of our friendship, my body had grown so accustomed to his hold—even his simple touch—that walking in such a way proved to be no obstacle at all. We were always touching, Jake and I, so being with him was just another simple factor of life, only, now we weren't the flat chested, lanky armed, braces wearing, short little kids we used to be. Especially not Jake. I hadn't even been the one to find out he was, well as the girls say, hot, until I started hearing the giddy whispers of all the other freshmen girls in my grade _and older_ three years ago when we started high school. To be completely honest I was shocked that people were finally beginning to realize how beautiful Jake was, for I had known it all my life. His clear, dark skin had been an object of my zealous envy for years and his smile, you know, the one that could make you forgive even the most sadistic murderer alive? Yeah, that smile had been melting my insides since before I could say the words "mama". Jacob was tall now, confident and strong, but the fundamental aspects of himself, the ones that I loved so much, have totally remained the same. Even through his most awkward stages I have adored my Jake, and more impressively, he stuck through mine—which believe me were far, far worse.

From the outside people always assumed that we were together. Like, _together_ together, but that was simply not the case with us. I loved Jake with my whole heart, but we just weren't like that. And I would never say my love for him was like a sister's for her brother because it wasn't like that either. I despised labels with a passion 'cause it seemed to me that people were always so eager to slap one on to everyone and everything just to make them feel at ease. My relationship with Jacob was something that didn't need to be defined, dissected, and judged upon by frivolous outsiders. As long as I loved him and he loved me, that was all that mattered.

— Besides, if Jake ever had feelings for me, like _those_ kinds of feelings for me (which would be preposterous of him since we're best friends but I'm just sayin') wouldn't he have…you know, asked me out already? Or at least made a move? 'Cause it's kind of been 16—almost 17 years now and there have been plenty of opportunities for him to take that next step. But he never did. So. Yeah. "Best friends" was the only thing that was close enough to describing us, so if you want to slap on that oh so desired label, go on right ahead because in truth, he was my best friend in the whole wide world and I didn't give a flying crap who accepted it or not.

"What are you grinning about down there, short stuff?" Jacob asked with a raised eyebrow. The sunshine hit his gorgeous face, illuminating those impossibly dark brown eyes of his. Mhm. My best friend was beautiful.

"Just thinking about…nothing," I replied wistfully. Jake gave me a weird look. "Really it's nothing. I'm letting my mind wander right now."

"I love it when you zone out," he laughed. "You just look so…_cute_."

"Shut up," I admonished light heartedly. "Me zoning out is not cute and you know it."

"Whatever you say Bells." His eyes burned with humor and enchantment. Jake was never one to try and hide how happy he was when we were together. Shame in that respect was something we had both quickly discarded as the years drew on 'cause I guess we both found that putting up pretenses was such a waste of energy.

I beamed up at him and sighed contently, "Come over tomorrow night."

Jake gave me a sideways glance. "As if I need an invitation." I grinned. When I wasn't already at the reservation, I was at home with Jake, who stopped by sporadically whenever he pleased.

"I know, but I just want to make sure you come. I got this movie from the library that we have to watch."

Jake immediately groaned. "Oh no, please tell me it's not a—"

"Shakespeare play? Yes. But wait listen—"

Jake cut me off. "I don't want to hear it Bella! How many renditions of Hamlet or A Midsummer's Night Dream are you going to make me sit through in a lifetime?"

"Please?" I begged, squeezing his hand that dangled from over my shoulder. "I'm doing this stupid Yes Game, the least you can do is—"

"I don't even get to be a part of the Yes Game!" he complained, actually sounding pained. "There's nothing in this for me."

"That's why you proposed it isn't it? Just so there'd be something in this for you," I accused. I dramatically unraveled myself from his hold, not that I was really upset or anything. I was just hoping I could guilt him into watching the damned movie with me.

Jacob's eyes widened and I wondered if he felt the cold chill of our bodies separating like I did. I sure hoped so.

"No, I. Well I mean," he scrambled for the right words but ultimately failed. "Damn it," he finally grumbled.

Victorious, I added a little pep in my step. "It's a production of Othello, but it's a hard core biker version. It was definitely my lucky day; I can't believe I came across it."

Defeated, Jacob shook his head at me with a bemused expression but then reached out to rejoin our hands. Just as I was about to take him up on his offer, my foot slammed against something hard and I went sailing for the ground. And when I say ground, I mean the wet mud, rocks, and brownish green slime that covered the forest floor.

"Ouch," I cried with a huff when I had successfully belly flopped in the gooey mud.

"Shit Bells," Jake exclaimed from behind me and quickly lifted me off the ground by grabbing my waist and breezily setting me on my feet.

Dizzy from all the sudden movement, I clutched on to Jake's arm for a moment to steady myself. When my vision came to, I saw Jake staring back at me with his charcoal black iris's darting back and forth between my clear brown ones.

"Are you—" he started, but I interrupted him with an irritated groan.

"Jake…"

He rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Okay," he relented. He straightened up with one last cautionary glance my way. He was well aware of how much I hated it when people fussed over me after one of my daily tumbles so he dropped the matter quickly.

"Please, make a snide remark about how I can't walk on my own two feet without you holding me for three seconds, and we'll be on our way," I bit bitterly. Jake just laughed at the embarrassment in my voice and hugged me under his arm again.

"I couldn't have said it better myself Bells."

"Awesome." I playfully punched his side.

"But, you should know…you got mud all over your shirt."

What? I swiftly glanced down at my—oh my God he wasn't kidding. Brown goo dripped from my beloved XXL men's shirt and even some had skinned my knees.

"A three year old walks with more consistency than I do!" I whined, stepping away from Jake so I didn't get any mud on him too. My clumsiness was my hugest fault by far; it was so bad I was certain I should be eligible for a handicap placard to place on my car because even the simple task of crossing a parking lot proved to be a huge safety hazard for both me and anyone else within a 1.5 mile radius.

Jacob was the only one who knew how frustrated my disability got me. "Common B, it's not that bad."

"Not that bad? It looks like someone smeared baby poo all over me," I hissed.

Jacob was silent for an extended period of time. I glanced up at him to see a concentrated look on his face and that his mouth was twitching slightly. I knew that look all too well. It meant he had something to tell me.

"What?" I asked, quickly getting over the state of my shirt. "What is it?"

Jake cast a guarded look down at me. "I—I heard what you and Quil were talking about earlier," he finally spilled.

My mind raced. "Quil and I talked a lot today. When?"

"After lunch. When I dropped you off to your class," he edged.

"Okay…what did we talk about?"

"You guys were talking about cliff diving. And how—and how he wanted you to—to…"

The light bulb flickered on in my head. "Oh. He wanted me to take my shirt off."

Jake's eyes nearly bulged out of his head and he was sent into a coughing frenzy. "What? N-no! No, wait, h—he said he wanted you to…oh. Right, for swimm—yeah okay. Yeah."

I had to admit, his reaction stung. Was the idea of me taking of my shirt and revealing by bathing suit so preposterous? What, did it gross him out? Even though in the back of my mind I knew I was being absurd, I still couldn't help but feel a little rejected.

"Oh, um yeah. He said I'd fall faster if I took it off, so I agreed. You know, the whole Yes Game thing," I felt a ramble coming on. "But I was planning to take it off right before the jump then slip it back on right after. I mean, I only need it off for the diving right? No big deal. You know how I get so…cold. I like the shirt. Keeps me warm."

"Oh course," Jake supplied quickly. He and I both knew that last part was a lie. My cheeks burned. Why were we talking about this anyway?

"And that's why—I mean I know you love your shirt and everything but since you're already going to take it off…" he stared at me meaningfully. I didn't offer up any help."And it's all dirty now…" he hedged. "And we still have a ways to walk…"

"I should just take it off now huh?"

Jake let out a relieved breath. "Might as well right?"

"Totally. Definitely." I awkwardly stammered.

It wasn't until we had slowed down to a stop that I stupidly realized Jake was waiting for me to take off the godforsaken shirt. What was wrong with me? Why was I freaking out over a bathing suit? _Bella, you're not that special. _The thought smacked me in the face with a harsh blow. The fuss I was making over this...it was embarrassing. So freaking what if I was wearing a bathing suit that exposed my chest and body? I wasn't the first girl in a bikini the guys have ever seen!This was the point of the Yes Game wasn't it? To get out of my comfort zone and _live_ a little?

Rather than slapping myself across the face multiple times like my fingers itched to do, I faced Jake with a determined, strong willed stance and shook off the remaining butterflies that fluttered skittishly in my stomach. "Why didn't I do this earlier?" I stated with forced humor. "I'm so stupid sometimes. Hold on just a sec." Poor Jake offered me a strained smile. He undoubtedly felt bad for me, thinking about what an insecure little girl I've been over the years. I couldn't believe how long I've been humiliating myself with these idiotic swimming shirts! Fuck this! The new Bella, the Yes Bella, doesn't give a mother fucking flying rat's ass about what anyone thinks of her. Not anymore.

On that empowering note, I stepped back and slowly raised the shirt over my hips, my torso, and then finally my chest, careful not to get any of the mud in my hair. Just as I had the shirt over my head, it snagged onto my tiny earring and refused to budge. _Awesome. _I gave the shirt an ineffective yank and puffed in frustration. The fabric twisted around the earring made it so it was impossible for me to pull it over my head without elaborate force. I tugged and jerked at my shirt with insistent repetition but only felt the shirt free from my head a tiny bit with each yank. Surprised Jacob hadn't come to my rescue at this point—what was he doing just standing there anyway? Usually he'd be at my side by now— I ripped the shirt off from over my head and felt my earring painlessly fly out along with it. My cry of relief morphed into a cry of terror as I hazardously stumbled back after having lost my balance. Surprise, surprise.

_Catch me dammit_! I was well within Jake's reach as I stumbled around but he stood there immobile, watching me nearly tumble on my ass for the second time that millisecond. Luckily my hand grasped on to a nearby tree and I was able to steady myself.

"Jeez," I gasped, clutching on to the wide trunk and breathing deeply in my chest. "Thanks for the help Jake."

When my eyesight refocused and my brain discontinued its racing, my vision cleared up and I was able to really see Jacob for the first time.

And the sight lurched my stomach into an explosion of rabid fireflies.

Jacob's ridged stance was the first to strike me. His large hands twitched unconsciously at his sides while his broad chest rose and fell in correlation with his deep, controlled breaths.

And he was looking at me. Staring. At all of me at once. Jake's expression was one of shell shock; his mouth was slightly open, visibly drying out before my eyes and his piercing gaze was unseeing, yet all seeing at the same time. If that made sense. Did it make sense? None of it did to me. My own shallow breath was caught up in my over exposed chest.

The only thing with overt movement on Jacob's body was his throbbing Adam's apple which bobbed profusely up and down his strained, tanned neck.

I couldn't pretend to be ignorant. I couldn't shy away from the truth. Jake was checking me out. By the looks of it, he liked what he saw.

I waited for the embarrassment to well up inside of me. I internally tapped my foot in impatience for that stupid red blush to rise up my neck and overtake my face. I paused for the urge to throw my huge T-shirt back over my body, and then cower away from my best friend's chill inducing gaze. But it never came. The shame, the insecurity. It never came.

Something else did come though. Something I couldn't identify just yet. But that uncharacteristic Something caused me to smile, broad and amused, _Confident_. That Something thrust me toward the speechless Jacob and released the words I didn't know I had in me.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" I raised a wicked eyebrow at him while suppressing the surprised shriek that welled up my throat. Did I really just say that?

Yeah. I guess I did.

Jacob nodded his head, but continued to stare back at me blankly.

"Common," I said, linking my arm through his strong, limp one. "We don't want the others to jump without us, do we Jake?"

"No," Jacob finally vocalized. He blinked a couple times, shook his head, and ran his free hand slowly down his face as if he was waking up from a deep, deep sleep. "Fuck."

"What?" I asked innocently as I dragged him up the steeper part of the hill.

"It's just," he began, his voice finally sounding more like his and less like a ghost's. He allowed himself a lingering sideways glance my way. "I've never seen you in a bikini before. Bells, you should… wear them more often. You look…you look—"

"Where the hell are those two?" Paul's distinct voice interrupted from behind the final, thinning line of trees.

"Prolly makin' out," Jared remarked from the same hidden area. We were only a few steps away from them.

"As if Jake had the balls," Paul threw back, causing everyone there to laugh. Jacob stiffened beside me and I fought the urge to start cracking up too.

"Bella this was a bad idea," Jacob said quickly, stopping just before we reached our friends past the trees.

My eyebrows furrowed. "Wait, what? Why? We just got here!"

"Maybe another day," he said hurriedly. Jacob grabbed my hand, ready to take off, but Seth's voice caused him to freeze in his tracks.

"Wait, I think I just heard them. Let me go check." As the sound of Seth's footsteps pattered closer and closer to we're we stood, I could literally feel the massaging vibrations of Jacob's agitated groan that rumbled deep in his chest.

It didn't take long for Seth to appear. "There you two are!" The young boy exclaimed. His youthful eyes danced on Jake at first, but then they drifted down to me where they widened in surprise and lowered down to my…well you know.

"Move out of the way midget," Jake commanded gruffly with obvious irritation scratching at his voice.

"Wah?" Seth croaked unintelligibly, never once taking his eyes off of me.

Jacob quite possibly _growled_ as he released my hand and stocked over to Seth. Jake nearly knocked the poor boy over but before he could, Jake grabbed a hold of Seth's shoulder and leaned in to hiss something into his ear.

After throwing Seth an apologetic look, I scurried after Jake and we reached the edge of the cliff together.

Paul and the guys weren't facing us when we came through, but Seth's shaky introduction was quick to change that.

"Uh guys," he announced meekly from behind. "Jake and Bella are here."

Paul turned around. "Well it's about goddamned ti…" he trailed off softly when his attention caught on to us. Curious over Paul's uncharacteristic loss of words, the rest of the guys—Jared, Collin and Brady, twirled around to catch sight of the disturbance. In other words, me.

"My motherfucking _word_," someone cried, though, I'm not entirely sure who. The hollow sound of a low, shaky breath floated in the air between all of us and I watched unmoving as all ten ogling eyes trailed unabashedly up and down my neverbeforeseen figure.

Remember that Something I mentioned before? That Something I could feel well up inside of me, but couldn't quite identify? Well with all eyes on me like this, the feeling was surging from within me again…and I couldn't have felt more _alive_. Was this what if felt like to be fawned over? And by the look in their eyes…lusted over? Lord knows I never thought I'd ever want to be lusted over—especially not by the guys I've known my entire life—but you know what? It felt good. Like, really good.

I could get used to this.

At once, Jacob's large hand wrapped around my thin waist and pulled me into his side so that he towered over me like a guard dog, ready pounce at the slightest threat of danger.

"Alright, alright enough! Let's jump already," Jake commanded sternly. I didn't have to look up to know he was casting a warning glare at each and everyone one of our male friends. Why did he even bother?

Interestingly enough, it wasn't Jacob's threatening declaration that snapped the guys out of their stupor, it was a loud wolf whistle that blew low and strong from behind us that captured the attention of even the most dumbfounded.

I twirled around to find a wicked grin stretched across Quil's face as he stood there with Embry—who openly (and open mouthed) stared at my ass.

"Nice Bella, _nice,_" Quil leered hungrily. He unabashedly racked his gray orbs up and down my figure with the approving nod of his head. "I'm a mother fuckin' genius."

"If you had anything to do with _this,_" Jared drawled, blankly nodding his head in my direction. "Then you mother fuckin' are." The rest of the guys grunted in agreement, acting as if I wasn't standing right there listening to their every mumbled word. Being the center of attention _in this way_ wasn't half as bad as I always imagined. Could this be why girls like Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory dressed so whoreishly and threw themselves at any and every walking being with a muscled arm and a dick?

Almost as wide eyed as the guys themselves, I surveyed the crew discreetly with amused, dancing eyes until my attention was ripped away by none other than—

"'Ey Bella," Paul called out in his low signature I'm-the-sexiest-thing-you've-ever-seen voice. As soon as I glanced his way I found him eyeing me with the unmistakable look of intrigue written all over his smug face. When our gaze's met, the smallest smirk I've ever seen tugged fiendishly at his lips before he reached down to grasp the hem of his tight white T-shirt and achingly peeled it over his head—thus revealing his…well, immaculate set of eight pack abs. Yes that's right, eight pack abs.

I gasped—not at his body, for I have seen it numerous times—but at his…directness, I guess. With dark eyes he openly checked me out again and then strode up to me with that growing smirk still painted on his cocky mouth.

The closer Paul came to me, the harder Jacobs hand squeezed into my waist.

"Yes Paul?" I responded daintily. Jacob's breath vibrated in a steady buzz next to me.

Paul was in front of me now, knees bent as he leaned in before me face to face. Unflinching, I stared back at his truly lovely face. I know, lovely shouldn't be an adjective used when describing _anything_ about Paul, but in the end a fact was a fact. For such a manly man, Paul possessed the most delicate features, featured envied by most girls—from his mile long eyelashes to those dark and perfectly shaped eyebrows above his endless, sparkling eyes. His flawlessly shaped lips were hard to ignore and the only thing that saved him from being one of the most beautiful women known to man was his dramatic bone structure that cut strong lines across his face where his cheek bones and jaw line were.

Paul's tongue wetted his lips just inches in front of my face. "You ready to get wet, little girl?"

Though my heart skipped at his challenging presence, I held a steady eye and voice. "Most definitely." I leaned farther away to get a better view of him. "What are you standing there for? Are you going to show me what you got or what?"

It was like my words were the hammer that broke the spell that had fallen over the entire area. Suddenly, Jared, Brady, Quil and the rest of them were howling, wooting, and scuffling around the cliff, creating a busy movement around me that was nonexistent just moments before.

Paul's face immediately lit up in amusement and he backed up slowly, making sure every muscle in his body was emphasized for everyone to see. "Oh don't you worry, babe." He cast me one last smoldering look before he whipped his head to the left. "Jared!" He barked while taking a few large strides backwards.

Jared, now also shirtless, wheeled around to face his closest friend. "Yeah?"

"Let's show Bellie-Wellie how us men do things around here."

Jared barked a laugh and started backing up alongside Paul. "Sure thing boss. Watch closely sugar." Jared threw the last part to me. When they had reached the furthest point from the cliff, the two boys crouched down at the same exact time.

"What are they doing?" I whispered.

"Jumping," Jacob replied rather curtly. I gave him a weird look to which he responded with a pained expression.

"Something wrong?" I asked, and he instantly grimaced—his lips doing what I suppose he wanted to come out as a smile.

"No, nothing at all," he recovered miserably, forcing his "smile" to stretch even further across his tanned face. "Just, distracted a little. Glad you're here, of course. Um, watch, I think they're going to jump." He nodded his head toward the trees and hesitantly, my eyes followed.

"Three, two one, go!" Paul and Jared had counted down at the same time, and then sprinted towards the cliff at speeds that were surely unnatural for a couple of boys their age. As if acting on a shared impulse, the rest of my friends ran up to the edge of the cliff right when Paul and Jared launched themselves off. Even I tore myself away from Jake's side to witness the boys dive ten billion feet to their watery grave. When I had reached the edge of the cliff, I felt something tug at my waist, but I didn't bother looking back to see who had because I was instantaneously enthralled by the sight under me. Paul and Jared were performing synchronized back flips in mid air even as gravity pulled them down to the raging ocean that crashed below. My friends erupted in cheers from all around me while I watched Jared and Paul complete five outstanding flips in the air before messily crashing, back and legs first, into the deep blue ocean.

Before I could blink, I was forcibly yanked back by my waist and soon my back was pressed against a solid form that could only be the chest of one of these rowdy Quileutes.

"Jeez girl, you're gunna fall off the edge before we had any time to play with you!" Quil crackled in my ear.

"Quil!" I squealed giddily, wiggling my way out of his grasp. I twirled around to face him. "I was fine."

"Yeah right," he scoffed. "What would you do without me? If it wasn't for me you'd be swimming with the fishes by now."

"I'll be doing that eventually wont I?" I sassed back. "That's kind of what happens when you cliff dive, you end up in the water. You know Quilly, if you wanted a hug you could have just asked for one."

Quil quirked an eyebrow and smiled down at me broadly. "You know what? You're right. What was I thinking?" He reached out for my arm but I dodged his advance.

"Nope, you ruined it. No more hugs for you," I sang tauntingly. Quil's eyes alighted and he grabbed for me again and again but I only giggled and continuously evaded him.

"Hey dick! Get away from Bella!" Embry yelled when he caught on to what was happening.

I squeaked for his help. It was hard dodging Quil when the cliff offered such little space to run around. "Please, Embry! Save me!" In a flash Embry had taken off in our direction and all of the sudden someone had taken my arm and thrust me backwards. Embry pummeled straight into Quil in the exact spot I was standing just moments before and tackled him with sickening force. The blow was so harsh and impact filled it sent Quil and Embry flying through the air and crashing down to the ground just at the edge of the cliff.

"No!" I screamed, petrified, but it was too late. Quil and Embry had rolled right off the edge of the cliff and were sailing down dangerously close to the gagged side of steep hill.

The hand that had saved me from possibly getting entangled in that messy predicament yanked me back just when my body rushed forward to make sure the boys were okay. "Bells its fine," Jacob urged. "They do that every single time."

I whisked around and allowed my eyes searched his frantically but I only saw truth in his face, so I managed an exhale and stopped struggling against his hold. "They do? Are you sure?"

"Every time. Without fail. It gets old actually." Jacob offered me a reassuring smile before tugging me towards the edge. "Come on, I'll prove it to you." We walked to the side of the massive drop in front of us and I peered down while Jake cautiously held on to my arm. It wasn't until I could see four tiny dots bobbing up and down in the water—Paul, Jared, Quil and Embry presumably—that I allowed myself to completely relax.

"Oh thank God." I sighed. Jacob smiled, really smiled for the first time in a while, and ruffled my hair.

"I can't believe you're actually going to do this."

I cast a glare at him. "Thanks to you and this stupid game you got me to agree to, I really don't have a choice."

The heartwarming sound of Jacob's laughter filled the air. "There you go, that's the spirit."

"Hey Bella! Watch us!" Seth and Brady were standing at the edge now, peering back at us with expectant looks in their eyes. Well, Brady was staring at my legs, but whatever.

"Sure thing," I promised, saluting them with a grin. The both of them faced forward and dived off the cliff without any hesitation. "I wish I was that confident," I commented after they disappeared out of sight.

"Actually," Jacob said, suddenly serious. "I don't think I've ever seen you more confident." His gaze traveled downwards for only a millisecond, but I caught the action nonetheless.

"No, I meant about diving," I corrected slowly. Jacob's eyes widened and he took a step back.

"Oh, yeah, yeah. That's what I was talking about. Of course."

I grinned and shook my head. "You doing this thing with me or what?"

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Jacob reached out and wrapped his familiar hand around mine. "You're going to do great. Don't be scared, okay? Just let go."

I stared into his eyes and nodded blankly. Just let go. _Just_ _let go_. "Just let go. Got it."

"Yeah?" he said, walking me closer to the edge. Then he looked at me sharply."Wait, I'm not saying you should let go of my hand."

"No, I get it," I clarified. "I'm ready."

"Okay." He grinned. "I'm really proud of you."

"Thanks," I smiled back.

"Just stay with me, try to keep yourself vertical, and make sure to start swimming upwards as soon as you're able to after you've hit the water."

"Got it, got it, and got it. Now let's jump before I lose my nerve."

"Yes ma'am. On the count of three start running."

"Alright," I breathed, concentrating.

Jake hesitated for another second. "I'm sorry," he sputtered. "I seriously can't get over this. You're actually going to cliff dive with me?"

"I _said_ before I lose my nerve _Jacob,"_ I growled through clenched teeth.

He laughed. "You're right, you're right I'm sorry. On the count of three. One…"

"Two…" I added shakily.

He squeezed my hand. "Three!" We yelled together just before sprinting off of the cliff hand in hand.

Over ninety-nine percent of our momentum was courtesy of Jake, who was practically dragging me in mid air across the expanse of the cliff, so I barely noticed when my feet (which had barely hit the ground anyway) were no longer hovering over solid land.

That is, until we started falling.

I felt the tremendous drop in my stomach before anything else. I shut my eyes closed and squeezed Jake's hand with a strength that must have been quite excruciating for even him as we descended rapidly down the never ending cliff. On the dizzying way down, an obnoxious screeching noise rang irritably in my ear and it took a few seconds for me to realize that noise was actually _me_. Me screaming my head off as we fell down the cliff at approximately thousand miles per hour.

**Even** as the wind slapped my whole entire body with its whip like force, I wrenched my eyes open mid jump and was completely astounded by what I such a rapid descent I was utterly dumbstruck by the beauty that surrounded me at that very moment. The horizon line between the ocean and the sky was painted beautifully before my eyes and the magnificence of the sight was heightened by the pulsating adrenaline that pumped aggressively through my veins. My hair whipped wildly around my face and shoulders and I could feel my nerves explode in my stomach, giving me an uncomfortable exhilaration that was impossible to adequately describe. This euphoria filled my body and supplied me with a sense of boldness I never thought would ever develop at a time like this, but nevertheless I feeling quite invincible, I purposefully yanked my hand away from Jacob's grasp which caused me to fall at a much slower pace than him, even if it was just for a short time.

I felt the smile plastered across my open mouthed face as I hit the surface of the frigid water, and as I limply sank down to the depths of the ocean, I knowingly ignored the early advice Jake had given me to begin swimming upwards as soon as I hit my landing. Instead, I enjoyed the electrifying shock of frozen water that nipped at my skin, and relished the way the powerful tide currents surged me back and forth, up and down along with the sea's natural flow.

_Okay_, I decided after a good fifteen seconds underwater, _time to resurface. _I spread my arms out and began kicking my feet, but to my surprise the wild ocean current wasn't having any of that. More determined this time I put better effort into my movements but the tide kept pulling at me, dragging me left, right, down, and basically everywhere but up. _Uh oh, this could be bad._ The small issue of not being able to breathe for more than twenty seconds now had developed into a fast growing problem and I began fruitlessly thrashing in every direction—that is, until one of my wild, flailing arms was caught by a large, unmistakable hand and was steadily dragged towards a seemingly random direction.

My head finally broke the surface of the water and immediately I heard shouts and hollers from the original daredevils themselves. When I tore my eyes open I was welcomed by the shiny drenched faces of Jake, Quil, Embry, Paul, Jared, Seth, and Brady who were cheering loudly for me and the fact that my suicide jump was successful—or unsuccessful depending on how you look at it.

I was out of breath and exhausted, yes, but I still insisted on swimming myself back to shore even after the numerous piggy back ride offers I got from the guys. On the entire way back, Jacob swam next to me with adamant vigilance which proved to be handy after my head kept slipping underwater whenever a wave rolled over to us.

My heart was nearly pounding out of my chest when Jake and I eventually made it to the shore and I was sure I'd collapse right then and there on the sand but somehow I managed to stay on my own two feet.

"Bella you did it!" Jacob exclaimed as soon as we could both stand calf-deep in the water. He dove down and wrapped his arms around me, squeezing whatever was left of my breath straight out of my lungs. "You were amazing," he continued softer in my ear. I squeezed him back with all the energy I could muster.

I could only cough happily in response but I think Jake knew I was grateful for his praise.

"You liked it then? Would you do it again?" He asked me eagerly, setting me back down in the shallow pool of water. Jake's already wet eyes sparkled in hope as he gazed down at me expectantly.

"I loved it," I replied truthfully. "Sorry for letting go of your hand by the way. And thanks for saving my drowning butt there at the end."

"No worries," he sighed contently, throwing his wet arm across his favorite spot over my shoulders. "You were easy to find and as light as a feather. I'm impressed that you let go actually. You've been surprising me all day Swan."

"Oh yeah?" I hedged. Without thinking I stopped to face him. "What do you think of these surprises?" Placing my hands on my hips I felt exposed. The true nature of wearing a bikini so blatantly in front of him struck me at once, but I wasn't embarrassed. Instead, I was nervous.

Jacob halted in his tracks, his smile faded into extinction and his arm slipped away from my shoulder. "What do I think?" His voice sounded unsure.

I took a bold step closer to him, feeling hope well up inside of me as I stared searchingly into his eyes. Shit, I hated it when I felt like this; when I got all hopeful for things to happen in my life that just weren't meant to…things like Jacob and I being together.

Yeah okay, I said it.

In the past I've allowed myself to develop a full blown crush on Jacob a total for three times. Once when we were nine, another time when we were thirteen, and finally, for about a month last year. Each time I held this crush, I imagined he'd take advantage of the countless hours we spent alone together, like whenever we were curled up on his couch in the basement watching old movies together or when we'd walk hand in hand on the moonlit beach like we did every single night last summer almost without fail.

I guess the big question was: what in the world was holding Jacob back from _liking_ me liking me? God, I sounded like a five year old, but my thoughts always remained the same. He spent all this time with me, claimed he adored every trait about me, was constantly touching me whether it be a hand hold or an arm over the shoulder…what the hell was missing in this equation?

I stood before him dripping wet and vulnerable; my fists were mindlessly clenching and unclenching as I waited for his response.

I loved Jacob with all of my heart and I'd always love Jacob no matter what happened between us, but damn it, I needed to know if he found me even the least bit attractive, especially now. I mean come on, my tits were barely concealed in this goddamned bikini which, might I mention, was able to grasp the attention of every other male I had come across that evening. If Jacob denied me now, now that I had shed the last of my insecurities and allowed myself to fully embrace who I was without shame, well, at least I would never again have to wonder if my impulses for him were shared in the least.

Jacob cleared his throat. "Well, you seem different," he began. "I could tell you were a little nervous up there but as soon as we jumped it was like a whole new you."

"Yeah?"

"Definitely. And you know, you're actually wearing a bathing suit today," he hedged. His voice was calm but his Adams apple was giving him away. "Which I know was the work of Quil, obviously, but still, you look…I mean, it's…"

"It's what?" _Does he like it? Does he find me attractive in it?_

"It's…different." He allowed. "You look..." I held my breath for his next words. Pretty? Cute? _Sexy_ even? "Cold." He finished definitely.

"Cold?" I echoed without thinking.

"Yeah, now I can see why you always wear those shirts. It's pretty chilly out here, it is Washington after all."

I let out a silent breath and nodded my head softly in complete understanding. It was stupid to think a measly bathing suit would change the way Jacob felt about me after all of these years. Interestingly enough, I felt relief wash over me and settle my nerves. For the first time in a while I actually felt at peace with myself and my relationship with Jacob. No more stressing and no more speculating. We were best friends and that's all there was to it. Now that I thought of it, complicating our friendship was the last thing I wanted to do so I wasn't going to regard the solid relationship we did have as insufficient any longer. From here on out I'd stow away my former illusions I held about our friendship and focus on building the platonic bond we already had going for us.

I grinned widely up at my friend and reached for his hand. "Actually, I like wearing the bathing suit. I think I'm done swimming with the shirts from now on."

"Jacob! Bella! Come on, we're setting up volleyball game. You guys are in right?" Jared's voice pulled our attention away from one another.

"Sure, sure," Jacob agreed for the both of us. We began walking toward the volleyball "court" where the guys were finishing setting up the net in the sand.

"Oh man, you know what? I forgot my shirt up near the cliff," I moaned. "Let me run and go get it, I'll be right back."

"Oh no way, I'm coming with you," Jacob countered quickly. I slipped my hand out of his and began walking towards the hill. "No don't worry, I can get it myself. I kind of need some time to think anyway."

Jacob pursed his lips defiantly before relenting. "Alright. Only if you're sure."

"I'm sure," I laughed. "If I don't return in fifteen minutes come searching for me with a pack of rescue dogs and a first aid kit."

Jacob chuckled and with one last lingering look, he waved me off. I took off for the hill, allowing my mind to wander aimlessly for a few peaceful moments.

After about five minutes of walking, I heard the a muffled sound of people talking off to my right so I stopped and strained my eyes to hopefully catch a glimpse of who might be there. A burst of guyish laughter exploded from where the voices had come from and I whipped my head around to find a group of three or four people walking through the forest. It wasn't until I spotted the flash of a familiar navy blue colored cloth hanging over one of the guys's shoulders that I moved again.

"Hey! Hey, can you stop for a second sir?" I called out, carefully avoiding the protruding tree roots on the ground as I neared the strangers. The last guy stopped and turned his head towards me. I couldn't make out his face but I was close enough to see that he was, in fact, carrying my mud stained T-shirt over his shoulder. "Hi, sorry, I think you have my shirt," I explained hurriedly as I came closer to him. The guy turned his head and nodded for his friends to carry on without him.

"I'll catch up in a second," he murmured to them before shifting his crystal blue eyes in my direction. I stopped in my tracks immediately.

"_Mike_?" I choked out, staring back at the tall, blonde, muscled football player who was now staring back at me with a mirrored shock.

"Bella?" He asked, still apparently unsure of my identity. "Bella Swan?"

"Yeah," I clarified. "What are you doing here? And what are you doing with my shirt?"

Mike looked like he was caught off guard. Probably 'cause he had staring at my breasts at the moment. "Oh this thing? It's yours?" He grabbed the shirt from his shoulder and held it out in front of him. "Yeah I just found it on the ground. 'Figured some sucker left it so I planned to—er, uh, find her and return it." After he caught himself he leered at me as if he actually believed I'd swoon for his heroism. I grabbed the shirt from his grasp and gave him a knowing look.

"Of course you were."

His eyebrows rose challengingly." What? You don't believe me?"

"Quite honestly, I'm surprised you even remember me. You do know who I am right?"

A crooked smile found its way on Mike's thin lips. "Of course I know who you are," he replied, walking closer to me. "You're Bella Swan, the girl who ignored me biology last year whenever I tried talking to you."

I quirked my head to the side curiously. "What do you mean? I never ignored you." I could barely remember Mike being in my class last year actually, but somehow I figured that wouldn't be a smart thing to mention.

"Uh, huh," he mumbled, his eyes took a lingering sweep down my body. "Yeah, there's no chance in hell you were in my class and I _didn't_ talk to you. Or try to at least." His ocean blue eyes found my face again. "I remember clearly now. I tried to get at you hard in the beginning of the year, but that kid transferred in our class and you dropped me faster than I could blink."

Instead of denying it straight away, I took a minute to think back to last year. I vaguely remembered Mike hitting on me in the beginning of the year, but I remained polite yet distant during our interactions—it was a tactic I used on pretty much every guy (besides Quil of course) who worked up the guts to flirt with me. I wasn't a lesbian or anything; I just haven't been interested in dating much, which I guess is pretty unusual for a girl my age.

"You must be talking about Jake," I supplied, remembering that he had transferred in my class during the first semester. The day Jacob transferred in, Mike had been sitting next to me like he insisted on doing throughout the year so by the time our next bio class rolled around, Jake had come to class early to snag the spot next to me and would throw Mike triumphant looks from across the room whenever he thought I wasn't looking. "But still, I thought we talked sometimes?" I offered pathetically.

"Yeah, when that boyfriend of yours wasn't breathing down your neck," His gaze traveled deliberately down my legs. "Not that I can blame him. Not at all."

"Jacob is not my boyfriend," I snapped, distracted by his assumption. "We're just friends. Best friends."

"You guys aren't dating?" he inquired incredulous. "Yeah right. Every time I see you, you're always with that kid."

"We'll we're not together," I stated firmly.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

His blue orbs glistened. "If you aren't lying to me then prove it."

"Prove it? Well, you can talk to him if you like, he's down at the shore," I said, motioning my hand behind me.

"Nah, I can think of a better way for you to prove it" he said in a low voice, taking another step closer to me. "Let me take you out Bella."

My breath caught in my throat. Take me out? "Like, on a date?" I practically whispered.

"Yes," he confirmed with a cocky glint in his eye. "Go on a date with me."

"Oh, um…"

Mike bent down and took a hold of my chin. If I ever had a type, I never thought Mike would be it but I had to admit he was a good looking guy, especially in that footballish, All American Boy way. "Let me take you out on the best date of your life Bella Swan. You're too sexy to be home alone on a Saturday night."

Mike Newton's self assurance was so oddly alluring that I found myself drawn to his crude directness. "Who says I don't have plans this Saturday night?" I shot back cutely. I bit my lip and held his gaze.

"I never said that. In fact, I know you have plans Saturday night. You'll be out with me, having the time of your life."

I let out a soft chuckle and stopped to think about it. Maybe it would be good for me to get out of the house and experience someone and something else besides the rez and my usual crew. Maybe it was time for me to branch out and let go. Hey, I got the bikini on, why not take things a step further?

"So what do you say?" He pushed. His resolve wavered a bit after I hadn't replied immediately, and I could see he was beginning to fear rejection.

Then I got thinking again, I mean, this was Mike Newton I was dealing with after all, cocky captain of the football team and on again off again boyfriend of the dreaded Lauren Mallory. Was he someone I really wanted to get myself involved with? I tried not to judge people I didn't know well, but I never in a million years saw myself agreeing to go on a date with anyone at my high school, not to mention Mike freaking Newton.

But then again, I never thought I'd ever strut around a public place in a bikini, or cliff dive, come to think of it….

And then I remembered. I had no choice in the matter. _The freaking Yes Game_.

"Alright Mike," I stated with as much resolve I could muster up. "I'll do it."

Mike's whole face lit up like a light bulb and he straightened out. "You will? You'll go on a date with me? Tomorrow night?"

I couldn't help but let out an incredulous laugh as I nodded my head and graciously agreed. "Yes. Yes I will."

* * *

><p><strong>Guess whose back? :D No more school, no more tests, just FF! If you want me to continue with this story, review! This is a story for my readers, so please, if you wanna, tell me what you want Bella to do! Let's make this thing as fun as possible!<strong>

**But u gotta review first!**


	3. Decisions, decisions

Chapter 3: Decisions, Decisions

**Jacob's** **POV**

Breathing heavily I wiped my sweaty brow with the back of my trembling hand as I gazed up adoringly at the masterpiece hovering above me. She was sleek, sophisticated, curvaceous, and newly waxed. An absolute vision to stare at. And she was mine. All freaking _mine._ I slowly rolled out from under her to get a better look.

My baby, my love, my motorcycle was finally, finally complete. I've never felt more accomplished in my whole entire life. I jumped to my feet and lightly grazed my gloved hands over her shiny dark blue exterior with a worshipful touch, admiring how much my hard work had really paid off.

My mind immediately raced to Bella, and as soon as it did, a warm grin shot clear across my lips though no one else was in the room to see it. Bella would be so proud of me when she saw my baby all completed. Not only was Bells the only one who could ever comprehend what this motorcycle meant to me, she had actually been the one to name it during the initial stages of its construction. Every time I cursed at the bike in frustration at its aggravating complexities, Bella, who devoted an unhealthy amount of time in the garage with me, would merely brush the mangled bike parts with her hand and say, "Hush Jake, I love it." She stated this every single time an instance like that occurred; whenever I'd complain that it was a worthless pile of shit that could never be redeemed, she'd always repeat the same supportive words, almost more to the bike than to me: "Don't even think about quitting Jacob Black. I love it, I absolutely love it." Finally one day she entered my garage when the bike was really starting to come to and she gasped giddily at its impressive progress. Placing a small hand at the rear of the bike she turned to me with sparkling eyes and declared that she was naming the bike Lucy. I asked her why even though I was pretty sure of the answer. She sighed happily and rested her cheek on the seat, hugging the partially complete vehicle before saying, "Because, I love Lucy." At the time I cracked up, shook my head and teased her relentlessly for her cheesiness, but in reality I was touched. Bella's total investment in something she knew was so important to me made me feel like the luckiest guy on earth. Not many teenage boys can say they spend their days doing something they loved, like mechanics in their garage, while a stunningly beautiful girl watched over them as they worked—and actually enjoyed doing watching at that. Bella joined me in the garage about two hours a day, three days a week and spent the time finishing her homework and keeping me company. She claimed she loved spending those particular hours in the day with me, and I believed it. Her constant moral support was more than I could ever ask for, so as far as I was concerned, she was just as entitled to the bike as I was.

I sprinted into the house and took a speedy shower, and then I ran back into the garage and hopped on my sweet ride, making sure to grab my backpack which held Bella's surprise gift in it. It was the day after her infamous cliff diving extravaganza and I was heading over to her house to watch some more of that Shakespeare crap I pretended to hate so much.

I revved up the engine and tore off to Forks. Bella's surprise gift was a heavy weight on my back, but more in a mental aspect than a physical one. I had splurged and bought us both matching helmets. Both were the same shade blue as the bike, only her helmet had a stylish pink trim around the edges whereas mine had a solid black trim. Feeling craftier than usual I had even went so far as to buy her the shiny, bright pink bow I came across while stumbling though the mall so I slapped the girly decoration onto her helmet for good measure, though that thing was most likely getting crushed against the interior of my back pack at the moment. But hey, it's the thought that counts right?

My brain raced down the highway along with my bike. I was so familiar with the route to Bella's house that driving there took absolutely no cognitive effort whatsoever. My mind whizzed to yesterday's festivities…In other words, seeing Bella in that tight black string bikini….

Holy mother of God. How the _fuck_ did I not blow my load right then and there?

When she stripped in front of me in the woods, my natural ability to control my basic bodily functions completely seized as I gawked at her like an idiotic imbecile. I mean, we all assumed she had a great body hiding behind those mundane sweaters she always wore, but _holy fucking shit_ I was not prepared for what my eyes had mercifully witnessed. Those glorious legs that strode confidently up that hill, the way her bikini bottoms displayed the roundness of her firm, tight, but visibly soft ass…the flat, toned cut of her porcelain stomach, and finally, finally, those magnificent tits of hers that bounced and swayed and jiggled at her slightest move. _Dear Lord Almighty._ I've been salivating at the mouth ever since, and I can assure you the rest of the gang has been doing the same—and I know that should annoy me more than it does, but c'mon, if they didn't react the way they did, I'd seriously have to question the legitimacy of their heterosexuality. Forgetting where I was for the moment, I shifted uncomfortably on my motorcycle seat, and in doing so, I swerved dangerously on the road. Damn it, things were getting uncomfortable down there again and it was beginning to become a danger hazard.

After Bella left yesterday I made a beeline straight for my house. I threw open the front door almost tearing it off in the process, ignored Billy's agitated scolding, made a run for it to my room, slammed my door shut, leaned against the wall, unzipped my pants, grabbed my raging hard on, and whimpered Bella's name over and over again as I closed my eyes and merely replayed the day repeatedly in my head.

I've never come harder— or quicker in my entire life.

Before I knew it I was in front of Bella's house. As quietly as I could manage, I parked my motorcycle across the street and dug into my back pack to retrieve Bella's brand new helmet, which to my surprise, still held the bow perfectly in place. Crossing the street I walked up to her house and rang the doorbell three times like I always did.

I was bobbing on my heels; I was so excited to surprise her with Lucy. I slipped her helmet back into my backpack and hid it behind my back while I waited patiently for her to come to the door.

"_Coming!" _She called out from inside the house. I smiled. I could hear her scurrying from within. Loud noises came from the other side of the door and…wait, was that another person's voice I heard in there?

Finally, the door swung upon and there…Bella…stood…

_Holy fucking shit. _

"Jake?" She cried. Confusion was written all over gorgeous face.

"Bella?" I breathed numbly. A tightening occurred in my pants again as my eyes immediately scanned her entire body. I internally moaned. Bella was looking absolutely, positively, excuse my French here, mouth wateringly fuckable as she stood before me with large, ponderous eyes. She was in a tight gray long sleeved knitted top which was so short that it barely covered round curve of her ass, not that I was complaining. On top of that, the gray top had a plunging neck line which exposed an amount of cleavage that made my dick strain against the cool metal of my zipper, throbbing to break through. Of course she had on a black undershirt to keep the gray top from fulfilling its full potential, but from my height it was easy to see much further down her shirt. Not enough to see everything, but…enough.

My gaze kept traveling south. The flowery designs of her black fishnet stockings covered her legs and disappeared underneath her black strappy shoes. My attention slowly traced back up to her face, which was intensified by the dark lining she added around her eyes. It seemed to make her bright brown iris' strike out at me, more so than they usually did. The eyeliner was the only thing she had changed about her face as far as I could tell, and her hair was riding its natural mahogany waves around her face and down her back.

Instantly, I felt like a nervous idiot. "Bella," I repeated her name with more stability this time around. "Wow. Just…wow. You look awesome, I—aw shit, I feel really underdressed now. Why—why are you so dressed up? You should have told me, I would have cleaned up a lot more."

Bella's mouth dropped slightly. "I—oh Jake…"

My mind was racing. I couldn't believe she had gotten all dressed up for _me_. "No, it's okay, I mean, I don't look that bad do I?" I looked down at myself. A simple black V-neck shirt which hugged my muscles and some dark denim jeans. Yeah, I wasn't going to lie, I when I got dressed for today I wanted to look good. But now compared to Bella, I looked like chicken shit. "Let me take you out. We can grab something to eat and maybe walk around Port Angeles or something. There's no use in you wasting such an awesome outfit by sitting at home and watching Shakespeare."

Despite my suggestions, Bella continued to look completely distressed. "Oh my God, I feel so bad," she groaned, slapping her palm against her forehead and slouching against the frame of the door. "I can't believe I forgot."

"Forgot what?" I asked eagerly. My imagination swam with visions of me and Bella spending the rest of the day together as if it were a …well on a date. Elation surged within me as my brain formulated ways that I could make this evening as memorable and enjoyable as possible. Yes. It looked like it was time to take that next step. "Maybe we can catch a movie? What about that one Jane Eyre one you're always going on about? I really wanted to try out that ice cream shop downtown too. And after we could—"

"Jake! Please, just. Stop," Bella pleaded desperately. I looked down at the beautiful girl in surprise.

"Why, what's up?"

"I'm really, really sorry about this, but…well, I totally forgot I asked you to come over today."

What? Confusion morphed into extreme disappointment as her words sunk in, deflating my over active heart. "Really?" My voice had lost all of its previous animation.

She bit her lip adorably in that irresistible way that she did. "Really," she confirmed regretfully.

I narrowed my eyes down at her suspiciously as questions swam in my head. "Then why'd you get all dressed up for me then?"

She sighed and looked down. "I didn't."

"You didn't what?" I pressed. I couldn't help the increasing desperation that under sailed my voice.

She took a deep breath. "I didn't get dressed up for you okay? I made plans for tonight and I completely forgot that I asked you to come over."

Ouch. Her words hit me like an impactful blow to the gut. So she wasn't all dolled up for me after all huh? And worse, she was ditching me to go and…to go and what?

"Wow. Well that's good to know I guess." I averted my gaze to avoid her seeing the disappointment and embarrassment that shined my eyes. "So what are you planning to do instead? Ditching me for a hot date?" I snickered resentfully at the thought, but then immediately shut up when I saw her reaction.

Bella's face drained of all color as soon as the words left my mouth. Her gaze was pleading as she stared waveringly at my hardened face. "Uh…."

"What? You're going on a date?" I cried, voice cracking. This couldn't be happening. This could _not_ be happening to me.

Bella flinched back; her endless eyes were full of sorrow. She made a soft nodding movement with her head and I felt my world come crumbling down on me.

I tried to regain my control as I counted my breaths. Inhale, exhale, Jake. Inhale, exhale.

Bella glanced down at the floor. "You're mad aren't you?" She asked the ground timidly.

"I'm sorry Bells, but I'm not going to lie, it's a little bit aggravating to find out that I've driven all the way out here for nothing." Guilt predictably washed over her precious features as she took in the BS I was shoving in her face. I couldn't give a shit about the time I wasted coming here, it was the fact that she was about to go on a date with some _guy_ that drove me up the fucking wall. "Who is he?" I demanded. "Who's the guy?"

"Um," Bella played with her own fingers and swayed on her feet. "It's a funny story actually…"

Just then, out of absolutely nowhere, Kim flew down the stairs like a lightning bold on acid. "Oh my God! Oh my God! I'm so sorry! We're getting get out of here as soon as we ca—" Kim froze halfway down the steps when she saw me standing the door way. "What the hell? What's _Jake_ doing here?"

I folded my arms. "What am _I_ doing here? What are _you_ doing here?"

Kim puffed indignantly. "Helping Bella get ready for her date obviously."

"Her date with _who_?"

Kim eyed me like I was crazy. "You don't know?" She flickered her finger in between Bella and I. "I thought you two were like, BFFs or something like that. You didn't tell him, Bella?'

Bella shrugged her shoulders soundlessly and I struggled to regain my control. _Would someone please tell me what the fuck was going on here so I could stop making such a jealous fool of myself?_

"It's a very easy question to answer," I growled. "Bella is going on a date with…" I trailed off hoping one of them would fill in the blank for me.

Before either of them could answer though, Leah came rushing down the stairs as well. "Shit, shit, shit. Sorry guys, we're on our way out. Didn't expect you to be so…Oof!" Leah slammed right into Kim who had been occupying the space halfway down the stairs. "Ow what the hell Kim?" she accused, grabbing a hold of both the girl and the railing to keep them from tumbling the rest of the way down the steps. She turned her head to where Bella and I were and abruptly narrowed her eyes into slits. "What the fuck? You're not Mike."

Bella groaned as my eyes immediately shot to her. "_Mike_?" I croaked. My voice had gone embarrassingly squeaky. "You're going on a date…with Mike!"

"Yep," Leah answered for her. She descended the rest of the way down the stairs. "The one and only Mike Newton. Surprising huh? Didn't think our little Bells would start off her dating life with such a strong choice."

"Such a great choice," Kim corrected supportively. "He's flippin' hot as hell."

I turned to my so called best friend. "Really Bella? _Mike_?" I repeated incredulously. Of all the people, I never thought Bella would actually go for a guy like…like Mike. He was all wrong for Bella! Couldn't she see that? Since when was she into self-centered, idiotic, meathead jocks who focused all of their time on lifting weights, copying homework off of timid kids with actual brains and chasing after skirts? The very thought of the way he had the nerve to ask Bella on a date made my skin crawl.

But if I was honest with myself, I knew most of my internal rage was directed towards myself. I couldn't believe it. I was too late. And I fucking lost to fucking Mike.

"Oh my god!" Bella exclaimed abruptly. Her eyes grew huge and she had one of her hands covering her lip glossed mouth. Her brown orbs that had been directed over my shoulder shot back to me. "You finished it? You finished Lucy?"

"What?" I asked dumbly. Her complete shift in behavior had my brain hurting.

A huge grin spread across her lips as she pushed passed me and ran outside. She stumbled a bit in her shoes but she successfully made it across the street and immediately kneeled in front of my motorcycle. Her hands were splayed across on both ends of the bike and she practically pushed her face up against its metal surface. I finally realized what the commotion was about and slowly made my way over to her.

When Bella stood up and bent over the seat to get a look at the other side of the bike, I could do nothing but stop in my tracks. Her short dress rose up in the back and the bottom of her amazing ass was on partial display for me—that is, from behind her sexy fishnet stockings. She leaned over the bike even more, and a little more of her ass peeked out from under the dress, making me instantly hard despite the conflicting emotions raging in my body. It was obvious Kim and Leah were the culprits to her uncharacteristically revealing attire, and they must have forced Bella into wearing a thong too, 'cause her underwear was nowhere in sight. God, I was at complete odds with myself. Bella had always been beautiful, inside and out, funny, and gorgeous, but modest; always modest and down playing her kick ass body. But now, on top of being beautiful, funny and gorgeous, she was sexy as hell too? My heart squeezed in my chest. I've always been extremely sexually attracted to Bella, but now? Now that I've seen her all dressed up and looking as amazing as she did? It was criminal how much I wanted to touch her, hold her, and do things to her that would make us both scream in ecstasy…

"It's beautiful!" she exclaimed, standing up and mindlessly pulling her dress back down. She stepped up to the handle bars where she examined them closely, providing me with the merciless view of her body's perfect profile. God was she perfect. I couldn't help but admire the way her large, glorious breasts contrasted with her tiny itty bitty waist, which then spread out to her shapely, grab-able ass which then led down to her long, toned legs. Not only was the sight of her flawlessness leaning against my bike like a fucking pin up girl mesmerizing me to no end, the fact that she was genuinely awed by my completed motorcycle made my heart well up in cocky satisfaction. Her reaction was everything I wanted to see and more.

Fuck! I didn't know which emotion was the most evident at the moment. My uncontrollable horniness, my jealousy and anger, or my swelling pride. In the end, Bella's cries of praise fed into my pride and pushed it over the edge. With a near smile on my face, I took a step towards her, but then I felt a hand on my shoulder, causing me to stop.

"Jacob, what are you still doing here?" An annoyed Kim twirled me around and eyed angrily.

"You wouldn't understand Kim," I shot back. I shrugged her off with the intention of to joining Bella in her celebration, but then Kim spoke up again causing me to freeze where I stood.

"Bella needs to get back inside to welcome her _date_ when he gets here," Kim urged. "You and your bike need to get out of here, now. I worked way too hard on her appearance for her to give Mike a horrible first impression."

We both turned to Bella, who was now kneeled at the rear of the bike running her hands along the back tire, _oooing_ and _awwwing_ at my work. I didn't know about Kim, and I sure as hell didn't know about that fucking Mike bastard, but to me, what I saw before me was one of the most beautiful, sexy, endearing sights I'd ever seen in my life.

But it was too late. The damage was done. I swallowed hard and nodded once. I stalked across the street and reached Bella, who now peeked up at me from her kneeling position and smiled radiantly. "Oh my God she's gorgeous Jake! I'm so, so, so, so proud of you. I absolutely—"

"Love it?" I finished her famous words for her.

"Yes," she laughed at our inside joke. She truly couldn't have been happier for me. "I love Lucy." She smiled up at me warmly and I fought the urge to pull her up in my arms, throw her on the bike with me and zoom off into the night. "Will you take me on a ride? I have to know what she feels like," she breathed, standing up and inching closer to me.

With my heart clenching in my chest, I shook my head firmly. Bella's smile wavered. "Sorry, but I have to go."

Confusion was written all over her face. "You do? Why?"

The former annoyance that had worked itself up in my body reemerged from within as I remember just who, in fact, Bella was looking so stunningly beautiful for." Because you're going on a date with Mike Newton, remember?" Bella narrowed her eyes at the bitterness in my voice.

"Oh. Right," she said slowly.

A resentful smirk quirked my lips. "What you already forgot? Seems like you're _really_ interested in going out with him tonight."

Bella's eyes widened and she crossed her arms. "What if I am interested?" she challenged back. "If you couldn't tell, some effort was actually put into my outfit today. Shouldn't that tell you something?"

I scoffed and took a step closer to her. "Yeah, it tells me you actually let Kim and Leah dress you up for once. Big freaking deal."

"As if I had a choice, Jacob Black," she spat.

"Oh don't pull that on me! You always have a choice."

"Not anymore I don't!" she hissed back in a harsh tone. "It seems like you're the only forgetful one around here. Have you really forgotten that little agreement we made? The one you practically pushed down my throat?"

"Wha—"

"The Yes Game Jacob," she snapped impatiently. "The game where I have to say yes to everyone and everything? You know, to 'broaden my boring horizons?'"

My jaw went slack. How could I have forgotten that game so quickly? My heart rate picked up. "So that's why you're going on this date? Because of the stupid bet we made?"

Bella uncrossed her arms and limply let them lie at her sides. "Pretty much, yeah," she shrugged. "When I went up the cliff the second time to get my shirt, I ran into Mike and his friends and we started talking. As soon as I told him you and I weren't boyfriend and girlfriend, he immediately asked me out on a date. Actually, I'm quite glad I said yes," she added with a puff.

"What? He thought we were together?" I coughed. Ugh! Why the fuck did Bella have to tell him the truth?

Bella's face hardened instantly. "Believe it or not Jacob, but a lot of people assume we're together, like, romantically or whatever. But don't worry. I quickly set him straight. Turns out you used to intimidate him into not talking to me. Funny huh?" There was nothing humorous in her voice as we stared each other down.

"Hilarious," I deadpanned.

"Bella sweetie, we're on our way out," Kim sang from across the street. With one last scowling glance thrown in my direction, Bella side stepped me and made her way over to her two girlfriends. Kim wrapped Bella in her arms and squeezed her tight. Leah stood by proudly and the three of them exchanged a few encouraging words and more than a few irritating girly squeals before Bella waved them off and they drove away.

Bella turned to me, her expression suddenly morphing into sadness. "You should come in for a second," she told me softly. "You left your jacket here last time." I nodded my head and followed her into the house. She grabbed the jacket that was hanging off the edge of her sofa and handed it to me. "I can't tell you how sorry I am that this happened. I don't know why I forgot you were coming over today. That was really stupid of me."

As always, nothing but genuine concern shown on her face and I had no other choice but to reign back the jealous outbursts I knew were lurking from just underneath the surface.

I sighed. "It's okay Bells." I forced a weak smile. I leaned in forward so that I was face to face with her large brown eyes. "Be safe okay? And be smart. Guys are…idiots. Make sure your phone's on you at all times. Call me if anything happens, no matter what."

Bella smiled broadly and nodded her head. "You know you're on speed dial Jake," she said softly.

"Number one right?"

She chuckled. "Number one."

I pulled her into my arms and held her tight. The love of my life was about to leave me for some asshole and I was practically giving her my blessing. The world is so fucked up.

"This means a lot to me Jake," she said in my chest as she clutched herself against me.

We pulled away and stared into each other's eyes. _Please, please don't go,_ I was telling her with my steady gaze.

Bella bit her lip and smiled."Wish me luck okay? Pray I don't do anything stupid tonight." She said it light heartedly but her words made me want to disappear.

I pulled away placed my hand on the door."You'll be fine."

"Hey, wait a second," she said abruptly, eyeing the backpack in my hands. I followed her gaze and saw that her surprise helmet was peeking out of the top, the bow partially visible from where we stood. "What's that?" she asked. She looked up at me hopefully with a small grin forming on her face.

My jaw clenched. This was not the night I was anticipating, and this was definitely not the circumstances I had imagined when I was to reveal her present. What, was I supposed to hand over my gift, the one I knew she'd absolutely adore, and then let her ditch me for her date? No, I didn't think so.

"It's nothing," I gruffly replied. I reached over and forcibly zipped the backpack all the way shut. "I gotta go."

Clearly disappointed, Bella's smile faltered and her eyes looked sad. "Okay," she said, giving me a hopeful wave. "Call me later!"

"Sure, sure," I mumbled as I walked out of the house and closed the door behind me.

Still on her front porch, I stood for a moment and closed my eyes. Pinching the bridge of my nose I groaned. How could this happen to me? The day really couldn't have turned out any worse.

"Aw shit!" I heard, making my eyes snapped open.

Oh sweet Jesus, kill me now.

There Mike stood on the side walk in front of Bella's house with a bouquet of flowers in his hand and a screwed up expression on his face.

His agonized eyes were glued to mine as he ran his hand through his shiny blond hair and blew out a long, agitated breath. "Shit," he murmured again, letting the flowers hit the side of his thigh when he gave up holding them up.

I opened my mouth to address the little shit, but he interrupted me before I could get a word out.

"Look, man, I'm sorry. I didn't know. She told me you guys weren't together, okay? You gotta believe me."

"What?" I asked, slowly approaching the bastard. I'd seen him plenty around school and on the football field. Instinctively I gauged my apparent competition. How nauseating, he was such a pretty boy. Mike Newton was blond, blue eyed, and had decent muscle. It was clear he hit the gym to impress the ladies, and by the douche bag smirk he always had playing on his lips when he sauntered down the halls every day, he didn't get turned down a whole lot. Mike Newton was the ever typical high school football player: first string quarterback, captain of the team and most popular and wanted guy around school—at least, that what I heard. In my eyes he was spoiled jerk off who was used to getting what he wanted; and his ego was probably ready to burst now that the ever unattainable Isabella Swan had finally said yes to his cocky ass.

"I swear to God I'm telling the truth, bro. Bella said she was single. It's not my bad," he continued to ramble.

I raised an eyebrow. I was gradually beginning to understand what was going on in that peanut brain of his. Mike must have seen me come out of Bella's house and was assuming we'd just hooked up or something. How I wish that were true.

I nodded my head slowly, making sure to keep an intimidating expression on my face as I neared the douche. "What? Are these things supposed to be for her?" I asked menacingly, making my voice deeper in pitch than usual.

Mike glanced down at the flowers I was referring to and quickly shoved them in my chest. "Here, you take them, I don't give a shit. I just don't want any trouble."

I held on to the flowers and stared at them blankly as a devious plan began formulating in my head. Mike was ready to bolt, and who was I stop him?

A wild grin curled my lips.

I could step up to the asshole and get in his face."_What the fuck do you think you're doing at my girl's house? You'll be a dead motherfucker if your shit face doesn't get out of my mother fucking sight in the next three fucking seconds!" _Spit would be flying in the poor pretty boy's face as I gave him a piece of my mind, and then he'd immediately go running for the hills before I could count off. After that I'd take off home and wait until later when I'd play sensitive best friend-soon-to-be-boyfriend to Bella when she called me that night.

"_Jake!"_ she'd sob into the phone.

"_Yes baby?" _I'd respond as attentively as ever.

"_Mike stood me up!"_ she'd moan miserably into the phone. "_What a shit-faced cock sucker! I can't believe I almost went out with such an idiotic douche when I could have spent the day with someone as amazing, considerate and sexy as you."_

I'd chuckle softly and respond in a heroic tone. "_I know baby, I know. Do you want me to come over and make passionate love to you all night?"_

"_Yes! Yes!"_ She'd practically moan on the other end.

Shit, that would be nice. I slowly came back to the real world, where Mike was flipping a bitch in front of me, and I held the night's fate in my hands.

If I were to send the blonde bitch away, I would bet all the money in his hefty bank account that the fantasy floating in my head would become a reality…more or less. Bella would call me, and she would complain about being stood up by Mike…but she'd also be miserable and blame herself for it. Damn. I could see it now; her waiting by the door all night long, looking as precious as she did, only to be let down in one of the most humiliating ways possible. I was the one who forced her to into making this bold leap of faith, was I going to be the one to set her up for a mortifying failure all because I was too much of a pussy to make the first move?

No, I couldn't do that to Bella, no matter how appealing the prospect of scaring Mike away was to me at the moment. This was her first date and it wouldn't be fair. As a jealous admirer, my deviant plan was irresistible, but as a best friend, guardian and confidante, I couldn't allow myself to go through with it.

"Relax," I finally vocalized. "We're not like that."

Mike's eyebrow immediately rose. He stood up straighter and his ears perked up like a dog. "You're not? You're saying she's not your girlfriend?"

_Not yet_. To say the confirming word "No" would cause too much me pain, so instead I opted to level Mike with a steady glare, shifting my gaze from one dull blue eye to the next.

Mike, finally realizing the coast was clear and that I wouldn't kick his sorry ass, soon returned to being the cocky dickwad I recognized from school.

A snarky grin became visible on his face and a belittling glint shined brightly in his eye."Oh, let me guess. She turned you down?" He laughed condescendingly and had the nerve to place a mock supportive hand on my shoulder. Immediately I shoved it off with enough force to send him stumbling backwards. Without any hesitation I stepped up to him and grabbed him by the crisp collared shirt his mother probably ironed for him that morning.

We were face to face, eye to eye, and he was breathing hard. "Get the fuck off of me!" he wailed. The crack in his voice betrayed the tough anger in his expression. He wanted to piss his pants.

"Bella and I might not be together, _yet_, but this temporary lapse of her judgment doesn't mean you get to put your filthy hands on her. Understand? You touch her, you die." I seethed venomously in his face. "It's a pretty straight forward two step process. I hear you step out of bounds once—just once, and you're ass is mine. Don't you fucking doubt it Newton."

Mike, breathing hard, struggled to maintain his composure. His face was beet red and he looked like a pouting five year old. "Okay, okay," he relented. I dropped him and stormed past him in a flash.

"Hey!" he yelled after me. "Can I get my flowers back?"

"Let me think about that," I deadpanned with a growl. With the flowers still in hand, I hopped on my bike and revved up my engine.

"Reject," I heard him murmur. I was _thisclose_ to running the fucker over. He was going to regret that.

A head of me was what was guaranteed to be the worst night of my life.

Because in the end, the douche was right. I was a nothing but a reject.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Ouch...tehehehe;)**

**What do you all think of that! Let me know! I've got the next chapter half done and it would be nice to get some motivation from you guys to push this next one out before I really have to start focusing on my studies.**

**So don't hold out on me! I worked really hard on this chapter and I enjoyed it quite a bit, did you?:)**

**REVIEW my sweets, and as a reward, you'll get a sneak peak into Bella's..er..eventfull date that WILL be next chapter for sure! (If y'all review!) Love ya!**


	4. Date night, Fate night

**Date night, Fate night **

**Bella's POV**

_Ding-Dong!_

Omigod he's here. I patted my hair down for the fiftieth time that evening and took long deep calming breaths. I had no time to recover from the whole Jake fiasco, and for that matter, I honestly I wasn't sure I wanted to reflect on it much anyway.

I swung the door open after counting down from five in my head just Kim had instructed—we didn't want him thinking (knowing) I was standing by the door waiting for him like an overeager nerd now did we?—and peered outside with a bright smile.

"Hey there Bell—_wow_," Mike gasped, taking me in as I took him in. He was curiously disheveled, but redeemably so in his blue button down shirt and dark jeans. I couldn't believe it. Mike Newton, the oh so popular football star was standing in my doorway, ogling me, ready to take me out on a date. A date!

"Hi Mike," I smiled back, but my eyes couldn't hold his gaze. His was down too low—zeroed in somewhere under my chin and above my belly button.

"Woooooooooooow," he repeated, mesmerized by what he saw, apparently. I flushed all over, unsure of what to do.

"Um, thanks for picking me up," I said nervously, hoping I could get his attention. "I'm excited for tonight."

"Me too," he replied. Okay, so he had been listening. His gaze finally traveled up to my face, which thankfully, still managed to please him. "I'm extremely excited actually." I smiled nervously in response to the glint in his eyes, which to be honest, scared me a little. "And might I say Bella…You. Are. So. _Hot_." He gazed down at my body again; it was as if he had no muscle control of his eye balls.

"Oh, thanks," I replied awkwardly. I would have preferred beautiful, or even pretty, but hot could be romantic too right?

Right?

"Don't be nervous, tonight will be a lot of fun, trust me," he assured. "Ready to go?"

My former excitement picked up again. "Definitely."

We walked out of the house and he led me to his car. He had a super nice and super brand new black Range Rover which probably cost more than everything in my house.

"Amazing car," I complimented as I opened the door for myself and got in. Mike came from the other side and jumped in the driver's seat.

He shrugged. "It's alright I guess. Not bad for a first car, but I'm ready to sell it."

I whipped my head to face him. "Are you serious? You're going to sell it? Why?"

"I dunno. I heard chicks are diggin' the Beamers nowadays," he smirked slyly at me and I fought the urge to furrow my eyebrows. Really? Buying a whole new luxury car to impress a couple of girls? Instead of opening my opinionated mouth, I swallowed my words back down my throat and looked out the front windshield—where something else caught my attention.

"What is _that_?" I blanched, staring at what appeared to be a bouquet of crushed, torn and miserably disoriented flowers which seemed to have been carelessly thrown onto the hood of the car.

Mike's response was brilliant. "What's wha…oh FUCK!" In a flash he tore out of the car and rushed to the front, grabbing the wilted flowers and hastily brushing the rest of the fallen petals off of the hood. I sat back amazed, watching Mike remove the spectacle off of his car as a string of bad words flowed through his lips.

He returned back to the car, curiously without the flowers, and almost angrily jammed his keys into the ignition.

"Where those…flowers?" I edged curiously.

"Yeah, they were," he answered, jaw clenching.

"For me?" I peeped.

His eye shifted to me for a second as he drove."Yeah…they were."

"Oh," I breathed simply. "So. Why were they on the hood of your car?"

I watched Mike as he swallowed the words that visibly crept up his throat. "I was trying to be romantic," he finally answered, throwing me a sheepish look. "I wanted to…surprise you with flowers on my car, but I think some birds got to them or something."

"Really?" I asked, kind of touched. Strange thing to do, but it was thoughtful. Sort of. "That's so sweet of you. Do you really think birds got to them? You weren't gone that long and I didn't see any birds when we came out."

Mike shrugged and focused the road again. "You'd be surprised how fast birds can be. Especially falcons."

"Falcons?"

"Yeah. Falcons."

I nodded slowly. Awesome conversation.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, shaking his head. "I'm not usually off my game like this; I'm just a little bit disoriented is all."

"That's not really a good thing to be when driving," I cracked.

"Don't worry babe, I'm a top notch driver." He glanced at me (or rather, down my shirt) "It's just you're a little distracting. Think you can turn down the sexy a notch?"

I bit my lip, trying to reign in the blush that warmed my cheeks. "I'll do my best." I managed. "Sooo where are we going?"

A satisfied look overtook Mike's clean cut features. "Riley's Steakhouse. The one and only."

"Oh, I've never been."

His eyes widened to the road. "Wait, really? It's sick. Best steak in the area; you're going to love it. All the chicks do."

My eyebrows involuntarily rose. "All the chicks?" I repeated with a smirk. "Sounds like you get around."

Mike barked a laugh before smugly replying, "I wasn't going to say nothin' but…yeah, I guess you could say that." His lip then twitched into a slight frown. "Expect Lauren. Lauren _hates_ Riley's."

Lauren. Lauren Mallory, his bitch of an on again off again exgirlfriend. Great person to be talking about on a first date. "Oh," was all I could say.

He turned his head to me, looking at me with an incredulous expression."I know! It's like, who could ever hate Riley's? But that's what you get for dating picky eaters. Picky eaters are such a pain in the ass. Always wanting to go to _vegetarian_ restaurants, or _vegan_ restaurants. Damn. I still don't even know what hell a vegan is. All I know is that their food tastes like shit. If it were up to me, I'd eat the rawest pork they serve at Riley's 24/7."

Luckily, we had just pulled into a parking lot right next to a large restaurant titled "Riley's Steakhouse" which hopefully meant this increasingly uncomfortable conversation was nearing its end.

"Awesome, we're here," Mike said, pulling the keys out of the ignition and throwing his car door open.

I sighed quietly before letting myself out. "Awesome."

As soon as we walked in to the high end cabin themed restaurant, the bored looking waitress at the front desk recognized Mike and unenthusiastically led us to our reserved table.

We took our seats across from each other prepared to order our drinks.

"You know if you want any alcohol just say the word. They love me around here so I can usually get away with whatever I want," Mike informed me cockily.

"Alright, good to know," I replied, having no intention of ordering any alcoholic beverages of any sort. As long as he didn't ask me to drink, I wouldn't. When the waitress returned I sweetly ordered a glass of water while ignoring the stares Mike was giving me as I subtly rejected his offer. Hey, as long as it wasn't a direct refusal, it was still within the confines of the Yes Game.

The waitress walked away leaving Mike and I alone, face to face, with no car windshield to unawkwardly make conversation to. As a result, my gaze inevitably met his and I was able to drink him in. Mike was really cute. Attractive even, with broad shoulders, dirty blonde hair and a lazy smile. Girls flipped over him at school and he played the part of Confident High School Jock particularly well. He stared back at me like I was the most gorgeous thing he'd ever seen, and it made me more than a tiny bit uncomfortable. I knew some guys at my school were interested in me, but I was also fully aware why. Well, there were two reasons why to be exact, and they've a magnet to Mike's attention for the majority of the night.

"As I was saying," Mike began, or rather, continued. "Chicks always fall in love with this place when I bring them here. You do like it right?" He asked me casually but I could sense the faint anticipation in his voice.

Playing on the smidgen of insecurity he let peek through, I deliberately picked up my menu and ran my eyes slowly down the list. "Well I don't know yet," I said ponderously into the menu. I allowed a pregnant pause to ensue before flickering my eyes up and inquiring, "Why even ask, if 'every chick you bring here falls in love with the place?'" I held back a scoff. Did he really think broadcasting himself as a player would make me fall to my knees?

Mike's blue eyes glistened in intrigue as he drank in my sudden snarkiness. He gulped deep in his throat before responding rather roughly. "Because," he began, leaning into the table slightly, "You're not like most chicks. In fact, you're not like any chick I know. That much I can tell."

Surprisingly, his comment sparked my own intrigue. "How so?"

"Well for one, you're a hell of a lot sexier," he growled, making me wish I never asked. "If I knew I had a shot with you, I would have never wasted my time with Lauren." My eyes bulged wide at his words. Was he honestly saying, after only spending _20 minutes _with me_ on our first date, _that he'd rather be with _me_ than to be with is long term (sure, on again off again) girlfriend of over two years_? _Talk about shallow. Mike chuckled. "Lauren drilled me about you constantly; always demanding to know if I thought you were hotter than her. She's been jealous of you for a long time. Lauren's hot, don't get me wrong, but compared to you—"

"Mike," I interrupted, placing a flat hand up. "Please, I don't want to hear this." And I didn't. I didn't want to know this. Although it may sound wimpy, I had absolutely no desire to know who my secret enemies (why the hell did I have enemies?) were, especially if they were as catty, snarky, and pompous as Lauren. Besides, she was the most popular girl in school! Why would she ever be jealous of _me?_

Mike grunted, holding two hands up in surrender. "Alright, I won't say it, but I'm just telling you the truth."

"Can we change the subject to something other than ex girlfriends?" I asked quickly. I knew I was new to the whole dating thing, but I was pretty sure talking about exes at length on the first date was a pretty clear taboo—I mean, I know the subject made me uncomfortable.

"You two ready to order?" Our half-asleep waitress had returned with a pen and paper ready to go. Crap, I realized that I had barely any time to look over the menu with a careful eye, but all the same I knew I didn't want to prolong our order. The faster we ate, the faster we got out of here.

Mike surprised me to by answering for the both of us. "Yes we are, thank you."

"I am?" I asked. Mike ignored me and continued to order.

"I'll have the rib eye steak, rarest you can get it," he paused, allowing the waitress to jot down his order. She didn't bother looking over at me before asking, "Anything else?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but the low tone of Mike's voice was the only thing that rang in my ears. "She'll have the cucumber salad, no dressing, extra olives and nuts on the side, please." Without a pause, the waitress scribbled down the order as I sat with my jaw practically dangling to the floor. _Excuse me? _Did he just do what I think he just did?

"Wait um, was that…did you just order for me?"I asked skeptically.

"Yeah. Something wrong?" Mike replied, utterly unconcerned. "You allergic to nuts? Don't worry, that's why I placed them on the side for you. Lots of girls have that problem."

"No, actually I don't have that problem," I semi-snapped. "My problem is that I haven't decided on what I want to eat yet."

The waitress glanced over at me for the first time that evening. "Miss, you are ordering the cucumber salad as Mr. Newton had suggested, aren't you?" Shit. Well when she put it like that, I was in complete binds. After a few seconds of internal debate, I decided not to just screw the Yes Game (Though, how Jake would find out?) and abided by the stupid rules by just going along with it.

"Urm, yes," I ground out ruefully. "Yes, I would love to order the cucumber salad with nuts on the side and uh, all that other stuff Mr. Newton here so kindly ordered for me."

"Of course you do," the waitress deadpanned. "Your order will be ready in about—"

"Actually, I also want to order something else, in addition to the salad if you don't mind," I added, surprising even myself.

"Sure," The waitress complied, flickering her eye down at me curiously.

"Ummmm, do you guys have like, meat here or something?" I could feel Mike's questioning stares from across the table. Contrary to his apparent belief, he was not my father and for that matter, I was not a child to begin with. _Ordering for me my ass…_

The waitress seemed to have been caught off guard as well. "Oh, well, yeah." She leaned over and flipped my menu over, pointing to the back under where it read "Specials." "Here's one. We have baby back ribs on special tonight. They're actually really good," she offered. It was the liveliest I had seen her all night.

"Great," I said with a nod. "I'll have that."

Both the waitress and Mike's eyebrows shot up as the words left my lips. I fought the urge to grin.

"Wonderful choice miss…what's your name?" she asked delightedly.

"Bella," I supplied helpfully.

"Bella," she repeated with a smile. "I'm Jane. Would that be a full slab or a short slab?"

"A full slab, definitely," I answered quickly. I swore I heard Mike squeal in his seat. Jane, on the other hand, couldn't have looked happier.

"I'll be back with your orders right away then," she chirped. She grinned at me admiringly and I smiled politely back. When she turned her back I saw a bright pink pin she had threaded through her apron. The print was tiny, but was able to catch enough of a glimpse and read what was written on it. It said "Girl fucking power." I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. Right on sister.

I nonchalantly turned my attention back to my date. Mike, now with wide confused eyes and a bobbing Adam's apple, stared at me from across the table with a bewildered look in his gaze that made me want to double over in laughter. Jake would love this, I thought fleetingly.

Ugh, Jake. Thinking of him quickly reminded me of the pain I caused my best friend just a half hour ago which severely dampened my raising mood.

Mike, seemingly at a loss for words, finally spat out what was on his mind. "W-why did you do that?"

My stomach churned at his bluntness, but I held steadfast in my position. "What? Order for myself? That's what I do. I order for myself. Besides," I shrugged. "I'm hungry."

Mike stared into my eyes for what may have been the first time that night."Wow," he said with a slight chuckle in his voice. "That's a first." Though I could tell he was still disturbed by my somewhat feminist outburst, I could also detect the slight fascination that shined his eyes as well, making me more confident in myself than ever. Instead of dwelling on this incident however, I decided to get the ball rolling.

"So, Mike. Tell me about football." Predictably, Mike instantly lit up at the mention of football and launched into a horribly long monologue regarding the pointless sport. Thank goodness I was used to these endless tirades; Renee always managed to delve into them during 99% of our conversations. Luckily for me I had already developed a bullet proof method I personally named the "Uh-huh-Yeah-Omigosh" method to combat said tirades. Basically all you do is just nod your head attentively and repeat the phrases, "Uh-huh, Yeah, and Omigosh" in even, periodic intervals throughout the course of the one sided conversation. After exactly 47 seconds of attempting to follow Mike's overly excited explanations of what a field goal was, I finally gave up, zoned out, and started "Uh-huh…yeah…Omigosh-ing" like a pro.

Meanwhile, I allowed my attention wander around the impressive restaurant with stealthy eyes. Pristinely dressed waiters and waitresses bussed around busily as happy couples chatted in respectful tones to one another from across their tables. At a far away table tucked into the corner of the restaurant was a man in a suit sitting at a booth with a girl I assumed to be his daughter. She looked about ten years old and delighted to be spending time with her dad.

I smiled as my eyes drifted over to a table closer to mine. When my gaze landed on a male seated no more than ten feet away from me, I gasped in utter surprise and jumped a little in my seat. Like Mike, the man was nicely dressed in a blue button down shirt but that's just about where the similarities between the two ended. This man, who had surprised me so much, was not actually a full grown man but a young adult— maybe nineteen or in his early twenties. His deep auburn hair meshed awfully well with his smooth, olive toned skin. His shoulders were broad but hidden beneath his ironed button down shirt which undoubtedly softened the effect of what was most likely _a really nice body._ But it wasn't his body that made me gasp, nor his hair or olive skin tone, but his eyes. Those eyes! Wow, they were an intricate swirl of green and blue and something else I was too far to identify. Those eyes were unlike anything I've ever seen before…and they were staring straight at me.

Hence why I gasped and nearly toppled over my seat.

I felt my eyelids widen as I looked back at the stranger curiously. It wasn't one of those moments when you glance at someone across the room just as they happen to glance at you for the first time, or when you catch someone looking at you because they're trying to get your attention. No, it was one of those moments when you glance around the room and catch a complete and total stranger staring at you with the kind of intensity that clearly indicated the person was staring for quite awhile. This, as you can probably imagine, was quite unnerving.

I couldn't read the guy's expression at first, but when he realized that I had caught his eye, his features softened slowly but he did not look away. Instead, relaxing, he gave me a slight nod—an action that had my stomach in butterfly spasms. I was just about to respond in some way to show that I had received his friendly gesture, when I noticed there was someone beside him. Someone I had neglected to see before.

Oh, with one glance I realized that much like me, he was with a date. Oh! And not just any date. The girl beside him such an attention grabber, I failed to see how I could have possibly missed her while scoping out the restaurant before. Her fire red hair was an explosion of bright waves that hung all the way down to the bottom of her seat. I then gawked at her attire. The woman was essentially wearing a tube. A short, black, skin tight tube that barely covered the fabric of her underwear and failed conceal the bright pink bra she was wearing underneath the apparently thin material of her dress—er excuse me, tube. Upon further examination, I realized with great shock that I recognized the face of the heavily made up girl.

What the heck—could it be? Yep, it was Victoria "Tori" James, La Fork High school's most infamous slut, sitting there not ten feet away from me in the flesh. Her long exposed legs were carelessly crossed, giving me a steady flash of her bright pink panties under the table. What was _she_ doing here? And with someone like _him_? At the moment, Tori was poking her long acrylic nails into her plate of food, uncouthly plucking the nuts out of what appeared to be a cucumber salad. How freaking original. I quickly snapped my gaze back to the man sitting next to her. Mystery boy, I had now dubbed him, had been eyeing me intently as I made my observations about his scandalous date.

"Bella?" I heard Mike ask from a distant and very insignificant place.

"Uhn?" I eloquently replied, reluctantly turning my head back into his direction.

His eyebrows twitched. "Did you hear what I just said?"

I cleared my throat and automatically nodded my head. "Oh yes…um, omigosh! That's totally awesome," I spewed, feigning earnest.

Pride glowed through the football star once again. "Yeah, I mean, someone had to do it right? Obviously it had to be me. No biggie I guess. All in a day's work."

"Fascinating," I droned.

Just then, the waitress arrived. "Here you two are," Jane announced briskly. "Your steak." She bent down and placed Mike's steak in front of him before turning to address me. "And for you, a full slab of our famous baby back ribs." She beamed at me as she carefully set the intimidating meal before me. "Enjoy," she chirped warmly.

"Whoa, whoa, not so fast Mrs. Waitress. I think you're forgetting Bella's salad," Mike rudely interjected. Jane's giddiness melted away into a steely grimace in the matter of seconds.

She whipped around begrudgingly and addressed my prick of a date. "Oh right," she spat. "Just a moment please." She twirled off into the direction of the kitchen and not eleven seconds later, returned with the most pathetic excuse for a plate of salad I had ever seen. It was honestly a child's plate covered in about ten pieces of dry, dressing-less lettuce. "Excuse my forgetfulness sir. The salad you ordered." Jane artfully emphasized the 'you' in her statement by forcefully dropping the plate of lettuce onto Mike's side of the table instead of mine. "Satisfied?" She snipped.

"Very much so," I replied, holding back a huge laugh. She nodded once with a tight grin and winked at me before strutting back into the kitchen. I promptly covered my mouth to hide the giggles that had bubbled up to the surface. Best waitress _ever_.

"Jesus," Mike grumbled under his breath. Shaking his head disapprovingly he scooted the salad over to my side of the table and began to dig into his meal. While his attention was diverted, I glanced down at my humongous plate of glistening reddish brown ribs that stared back at me. The sight was both intimidating and mouthwatering at the same time. I wasn't a huge red meat person, but _damn_ this stuff looked good.

I turned my head, without even meaning to, over to the table to my right and caught Mystery Boy staring at me again, but this time, with bright amused eyes. It was clear that the tight crooked smile that strained against his handsome face was a direct reaction to my little display of rebellion. His eyes twinkled as his shoulders jerked ever so slightly in a soft chuckle. I knew my cheeks grew a soft pink in response (which was okay, pink was good, red was bad. Very bad.) and I subconsciously bit my bottom lip to stop myself from smiling to broadly. Our subtle interaction was strangely intimate—it was like we were bonding over a shared secret. I gave him one last lingering look before turning back to my incompetent date.

As Mike continued to jabber on during the whole meal about Football _this_ and Working Out _that_, I myself focused on two things, eating my food and stealing glances at Mystery Boy every now and again to catch him doing the same. Halfway through the meal though, I found myself wanting to shoot Mike from across the table for being so damn obnoxious. At this point he had decided it was time to pepper me with annoying comments such as, "OhmygodBellayouare soooo hot" and "," and so forth. Obviously, I was not used to receiving such upfront attention from any guy, and it was getting to the point where I wanted to physically rip his mouth out from his face in order to discontinue his embarrassing behavior.

Then I had an epiphany. _Why don't I just make him not like me? _How hard could it be? As soon as the thought entered my brain, it was over. I immediately dropped the fork and knife I was using to cut into my ribs, and set them to the side as I stared at the meal I had hardly even been able to put a dent in thus far.

Mike saw my action and raised an eyebrow in that all knowing way of his. "Full already?" He chuckled and shook his head. "I knew you wouldn't be able to eat all that babe. Should have just stuck with the salad like I told you to earlier. I know what you girls can and can't handle."

_Babe?_ I wanted to scream. _I'm not your babe, you arrogant douche, and I NEVER will be._ Instead of telling him off like I wanted to, I settled for a much more passive aggressive approach. "Oh, Mike," I giggled in a manner in which I knew he'd respond. "I'm not even close to being done with this, I'm just tired of using these frivolous utensils. They're getting in the way." With that I smiled sweetly up at him before digging my bare hands into my sticky, sauce drenched meal and ripping a single meaty rib apart from the rest. Deliberately, I raised my gaze to Mike and watched his dumbfounded reaction as I brought the rib up from the plate and to my mouth, slowly taking a large bite into the side of the rib, and moaning, quite noisily, as I chewed the meat messily and gradually swallowed it. Even though I was intentionally being as disgusting and repulsive as I could, I still had to urge myself to keep on going. Embarrassing myself like this was tougher than I anticipated, but it was exhilarating nonetheless.

Closing my eyes as if in pure ecstasy, I took another ceremonious bite while purposefully smearing the barbeque sauce all over my lips. My fingers and face were sticky as hell, and I was acting like a complete food obsessed lunatic. I allowed myself to open my eyes again, but they remained heavily lidded as I stuck my tongue out to unattractively roll it around my lips, licking them clean of the sauce that had smeared them.

"God, this is soooo much better," I moaned, mouth half full of cow rolling around in my wide open trap. "This is absolutely delicious. You sure you don't want a bite?"

My eyes finally focused on Mike, who to my complete and utter elation, was reddening in the cheeks and quivering at the mouth. His hard, measured breaths were deep enough to be seen and counted from where I sat, and his fingers were slightly twitching around his knife and fork. Score! He must be completely horrified! He'll call for the check and get the hell away from me as fast as he could any second, I was sure. I smiled around the rib that I had stuck into my mouth yet again and wrapped my lips around it, slowly pulling it out of the tight opening of my mouth and making a soft _pop_ sound when it had successfully passed through.

Mike's attention was trained on my lips and he intently watched as I used my tongue to clean my sloppiness. Besides his heavy breathing, he hardly moved—and I immediately sensed something was amiss. Before I knew it, he had licked his own lips slowly and hungrily before inching his head up to meet my gaze. I instantaneously flinched back; Mike's eyes were hard and swimming with something, but definitely not disgust.

What the heck was going on? Why hadn't he gone running for the hills yet?

The intense lust and longing that now dominated Mike's features was inescapable to me. He stared back at me like he wanted to eat me for dinner instead of his steak. Ugh, the thought made me squirm in my seat.

"Damn," he growled, setting his fork and knife down on his plate. "You're so fucking sexy. I could just…" His voice trailed off as he continued to stare at me as if I was a walking, talking porn magazine or something.

In shock, I dropped the bone back on my plate and struggled to think of something I could say or do to effectively get my ass out of here. My slightly panicked gaze immediately shot over to Mystery Boy, who strangely enough had become a source of support for me throughout the night. When my gaze found Mystery Boy's, I saw that he was smirking rather largely at me with eyes glistening with pure unadulterated amusement. At that moment I was positive that he knew of everything that had just gone down, and by the twinkle in his eye, it was obvious that he found the whole situation quite hilarious. All the while, I also sensed a hint of admiration from him for my effort. He winked at me smiled for my benefit before having his gaze ripped away from me by Tori, who had started brushing her chest up against his arm for his much wanted attention.

Sighing, I turned back to Mike who was hurriedly waving over our waitress to get the check. At first I was confused, he hadn't even finished his meal yet, why was he already asking for the bill? But then I mentally slapped myself for even caring. Thank God! This dreadful night was nearing an end.

After Jane, our wonderful waitress, came and dropped off the check, Mike grabbed it and started filling it out within no time.

"Make sure to give her a really big tip," I blurted out.

Mike looked at me questioningly and I shrugged. "I love it when guys leave generous tips," I added simply. If nothing good came out of this godforsaken date (which was probable at this point) at least the kickass waitress should reap some benefits, right?

Mike seemed delighted at my random suggestion. "Oh don't you worry babe, I always tip generously. My parents taught me well. There, forty five percent tip. She can buy something nice with that." I tried to restrain my smile. Our meal was bound to be expensive no doubt, between his steak , my ribs, and the uneaten salad which counted as a whole separate meal, the high end dinner was sure to be well over a hundred bucks. We were going to make one happy waitress.

"Ready to go?" he asked eagerly. I nodded my head and began to lift myself from my chair when the waitress came by and picked up the check.

"Thanks for eating at Riley's guys, I really hoped you two enjoy your meal," she said before discreetly peeking into the check to find out how much money she probably assumed Mike had shafted her out of. Her eyes bulged when they fell on the high percentage of tip Mike had actually given her and I couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Mike," I found myself saying sternly, "Aren't you going to leave some money for the nice waitress for her wonderful services?"

Mike stared at me with wide eyes, but didn't argue.

"Oh. Uh, sure. Yeah of course," he stammered. He dug into his pocket and retrieved a wad of bills. He held it up and carelessly plopped the wad on the table. There had to be about five bills in the stash, and the amount was promising, considering the bill on tip was a twenty.

The waitress's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw the additional cash get thrown onto the table.

"Thank you so much Jane! You were a wonderful waitress. Enjoy the rest of your night." I rose from my chair and gave the shell shocked waitress a soft wave before turning for the door and making my way out.

I stopped short, however, after a few steps towards the exit when a thought occurred to me. Instinctively, I twirled around in search of those magnificent blue/green eyes of Mystery Boy, and my gaze immediately found his.

He was still sitting at his table with a somewhat worried expression on his handsome face. In a flash though, resolve washed over his features as he quickly turned toward his date, said a few words, and rose from the table. Mystery boy faced me in all of his glory and my breath caught in my chest when I realized that he had gotten up to come and talk to _me_.

Major butterflies kicked in when he pushed back his chair and slowly made his way over. My heart pitter pattered in my chest—he was coming closer. Was he going to introduce himself? Would he give me his number? The look in his mesmerizing eyes told me _yes_. We obviously found each other quite intriguing; I was just glad he wasn't going to let me get away.

"C'mon Bella, we gotta get out of here. I know this place is nice but we have to go if we want to make the show times." Mike's irritating voice buzzed annoyingly in my ear as he urged me out the door. His hand closed around my wrist and the next thing I knew, I was getting pulled into the opposite direction of Mystery Boy, whose expression had now become cross with conflict.

"Ouch—Mike!" I huffed, swiveling my head to him angrily. "What's your deal? Let go!"

Mike had the nerve to chuckle condescendingly as he used his free hand to push open the restaurant door. "Babe, I'm telling you, we have to hurry up. Women," he laughed, "Always wanting to take their sweet time."

By then I was halfway out the door. I quickly turned my head in the direction of the disappearing restaurant, and was able to catch one last glimpse of Mystery Boy. He was standing alone no more than three steps closer than he had been just a moment ago. His eyes were undeniably ridden with disappointment as he watched me leave with Mike roughly toughing on my wrist.

The door closed softly in between us and I let out a defeated sigh. No one was going to save me now.

I snatched my hand away from Mike and snapped, "What was that about? What's the big rush?"

"Well, you want to make the show times don't you?"

"What show times?" I cried. This kid was so exhausting!

"For the movies of course," he snorted as if it was obvious. "You didn't think I was just going to take you out to dinner did you? What kind of cheap chump do you think I am?"

My mouth almost dropped at his words. He had just spent a $100+ on our dinner, yet he still considered that a cheap date? I shook my head. I was definitely not the girl for him.

"Now, give me your hand so I can hold it," he commanded. Hesitating, I reluctantly raised my hand and allowed him to swallow it with his. "Perfect," he grinned. We walked together to his car and got in. The drive was short but he managed to blab about something or another the entire way there. I didn't even bother "Uh-huh, Yeah, Omigoshing" 'cause this conversation needed no second party. I simply leaned against the car door with my face slumped against my fist and stared dejectedly out the window.

Though my plummeting mood was somewhat attributed to the lousy date I was on with Mike, I knew I was mostly just bummed that I never got a chance to formally meet my Mystery Boy. I sighed heavily as got out of the car and allowed Mike to lead me to the Movie Theater. I just couldn't shake the butterflies I felt in my stomach when Mystery Boy and I would make eye contact that the same time. It was like he knew me and understood me. His smile made me smile; it was warm yet enigmatic which made it seem like he was holding something back. And those eyes! Don't get me going about those eyes. Mystery Boy appeared to be a straightforward, unruffled guy who, for some unusual reason, couldn't help but to be amused me by me. I snorted inwardly. In that way, he sort of reminded me of Paul.

"So, what do you want to see?" Mike asked, effectively ripping me out of my daze. _Sheesh Bells, snap out of it! You're still on your first date, so focus._

"Ummm," I mumbled, glancing at all of the movie titles with their accompanying posters. My eyes fell on the last poster—the one of Jane Eyre, and my eyes instantly lit up.

Mike, however, interrupted my intention of speaking."Whoa, Transformers 4 is out? Sick!"

I couldn't help but scoff and roll my eyes. Jake and I had already watched that garbage movie after he illegally downloaded it on his laptop. We had stayed up all night that night in my living room sprawled out on the floor while chucking popcorn at the computer screen every time the main actors spewed out another cliché, poorly written line.

"Uh…" I began, unsteadily. Shit. I couldn't flat out say no could I?

Mike took the hint and barked a laugh. "Don't worry babe, I wouldn't ask you to watch something so action packed. I know chicks aren't into that kind of thing."

I narrowed my eyes at him ready to retort, but the quarterback just kept on going. "But then again, if you get scared, you know you can always lean on me. I'll keep you safe," he glared down at me, clearly smitten with himself before squeezing my hand and glancing back up. "Ah there we go. Let's watch 'Lust and other Narcotics,'" he suggested. I glanced over at the poster labeled 'Lust and other Narcotics' and groaned. The poster was a picture of a gorgeous blond actress in an awfully revealing doctor's outfit leaning lasciviously against a hospital bed while holding a syringe to the arm of a startled looking male actor. The man in the picture was obviously supposed to be a nerdy guy who was out of place in the presence of the hot doctor, but really anyone with eyes could see this man was Brad Pitt look-a-like hiding behind his thick black glasses.

Clenching my teeth I reluctantly nodded. The movie was bound to be a complete joke. If I wasn't about to go watch it right now, I would have added it to me and Jake's list of movies to watch and tirelessly make fun of.

Mike led me to the ticket booth and soon we were in the theater. I immediately started to make my way to the front of the movie theater—that's where Jake and I always sit when we're about to watch a movie—but Mike yanked on my hand, motioning me to follow him a few rows up. I complied and walked a couple rows up…then a couple more...and then a couple more…until we had reached the last row of seats in the dark empty depths in the back of the theater.

"Why are we all the way back here?" I whispered as Mike dragged me, not to the seats in the middle of the entirely empty row, but to the end seats at the darkest possible corner of the theater.

"These are the best seats in the house," he replied easily. Mike pushed me forward so that I was forced to sit in the very last seat in between him and the wall.

"Oh, interesting. You see, Jacob and I always sit in the front when we watch movies. We figure if we're paying this much to see a flick, we might as well get the full experience," I offered. "We only move to the back if we realize the movies a flop, and that's only so we can discreetly chuck popcorn at couples making out in front of us." I let out a small laugh as I recounted me and my best friend's experiences but felt my laughter fall short as I realized that Jake and I would probably be at home, curled up and watching Shakespeare together by now if I hadn't shooed him away for Mike.

"Ugh God, I hate kids that do that—throw popcorn at me from above I mean. Jesus, it's like, hello? Can you not see that I'm trying to watch a movie here? I can't stand immature brats." Mike shook his head angrily as I faced forward and fought a smile.

Yep, Jake and I were certainly _those kids_. And we were darn proud of it.

"Well then. I guess we better make sure that you never go to the same movie as Jake and I when we decide to sit in the back," I snickered.

Mike turned his head to me and wrinkled his eyebrows in confusion. "Wait, why?"

I stared at him. Was he serious? Had he not listened to a word I had just said? "Nuthin'" I murmured, giving up and facing the movie that had just started.

10 minutes into the flick, Mike, who had previously been on pretty good behavior, stirred in his seat restlessly before resting his arm up on the cup holder bar that sat in between us. His hand was facing upwards with the clear indication that I should slip mine in his.

I stared forward, completely immobile for the next 8 minutes.

After that though, Mike wasn't waiting around any longer. He reached down and grabbed my hand and began slowly rubbing circles into my palm with his thumb. I glanced over at him and offered him a weak smile. He grinned at me, looking as if he wanted to say something , but I quickly snapped my head forward and began watching the movie once again before he could have the chance.

5 minutes later was a sex scene.

I rolled my eyes and tried not to scoff too obnoxiously .I mean yeah, I guess I wasn't really expecting there to be an appropriate time frame in the movie in which the characters actually built a genuine bond and maybe even experienced a few instances of tight tension spawned from mutual attraction before finally coming together to consummate their love for each other. Please. This was "Love and Other Narcotics." Lazy rich screenwriters had better things to do than actually take the time to develop a beautiful and insightful screenplay about attraction.

Jacob would have watched Jane Eyre with me. I'm just sayin'.

Anyway, the reason why I bring up the sex scene in the first place is because it seemed to me that young Michael Newton over here was having trouble sitting still in his seat again. I could hear his breaths next to me, he was breathing that hard. I was seriously about to turn to ask him if he wanted me to call the paramedics when he did something totally unexpected.

At least, unexpected to an inexperienced girl like me. Mike untangled his hands from mine and boldly rested it on my leg just above my knee.

I slowly began to understand why he was breathing so hard. I sat rigid in my seat.

The blond actress had now pinned her "nerdy" looking patient against the closet door (Naturally they were going at it in the custodial closet during her lunch break) and began running her hands up and down his body, exploring his chest briefly before reaching down and roughly grabbing his…well...wow okay, I just won't finish that sentence.

Mike had become more noticeable beside me than ever. He kept shifting in his seat, making weird noises through his nose, and kept staring at me though I kept my eyes trained forward at the uncomfortable scene playing before me.

Which brings me to my next point: I was totally and completely trapped. Between the cringe inducing sex scene in front of me, a hyperventilating Mike next to me, and a godforsaken wall on my other side, I had nowhere to run. I was absolutely trapped.

The movie was becoming increasingly difficult to focus on as Mike kept distracting me in my peripherals. When the supermodel doctor began unbuckling her patient's pants, Mike instantly gave my leg a tight squeeze before carefully moving his hands slightly upwards toward my thigh area.

I froze and began taking deep, calming breaths. I had no idea what to do. This had never happened to me before. I hadn't even had my first kiss yet damn it!

Yeah, just in case you were wondering, I was _that_ inexperienced.

Soon, my hair was brushed to the side, and I felt cool air hit my neck before Mike's lukewarm breath replaced it.

"You look so sexy tonight Bella," he whispered breathily into my ear. "I can't keep my mind or my hands—" he squeezed my thigh again—"off of you. You've always been the hottest fucking girl in this entire city and you don't even know it. That's what drives me insane." His lips trailed down my neck as he continued to rub my leg through my fishnet stockings.

.God. My heart was positively pounding out of my chest. My hands grew clammy and my thoughts raced at 100 miles per hour. What was I supposed to do? _What the freak was I supposed to do?_

His hand became more aggressive on my leg as his lips continued to ghost my neck. I turned my head to face him and stared him in his lust filled eyes. I didn't want to be there anymore. There was no way I was going to survive another hour and forty-five minutes of this movie with Mike groping my leg the whole time.

"Let's get out of here," I breathed quickly, hoping Mike wouldn't get mad at me for wanting to end this. To my surprise though, the opposite occurred. Mike's eyes lit up as a mischievous smirk over took his lips.

"I like the way you think," he said before grabbing my hand and whisking me out of my seat. I practically flew behind him as he hurriedly navigated us through the movie theater and out of the building. It was only until after I had finally gotten a lung full of fresh, crisp air that I was able to calm my nerves down.

Mike hadn't said anything as he determinedly tugged me to the parking lot and toward his monstrous car. The feeling of relief that had emerged within me as we went further and further away from the theater gradually faded as an intense sense of self conscious worry took its place.

I couldn't help but wonder why Mike had been so eager to leave the movie. Had I not responded well to his advances? Was I supposed to do something in return? Was my inexperience so glaringly obvious that he wanted absolutely nothing to do with me anymore? My cheeks burned in humiliation. I should have never said yes to him when he asked me on this date, regardless of my stupid bet with Jake. Now he'd tell everyone at school what a useless prude I was and how terrible of a date I was and would advise every guy within a million mile radius against dating me.

The embarrassment was almost too much for me to bear. I felt myself boiling with internal shame as we neared the truck. I then decided on a last ditch effort to redeem my depleting dignity. "Hey, tonight was good wasn't? I had a nice time. Even though the movie wasn't the best, and the seating kind of sucked, I mean, it wasn't terrible was it?"

When we reached the car, Mike surprised me by whipping me around and pinning me to the cool exterior of the car, staring down at me with searching eyes that were unreadable in the dark. I blinked, confused by his steely expression and continued to babble on. "And the dinner was awesome. I loved the ribs, they were truly spectacularly cooked. The chief must have really taken his sweet time to prepare the food—even the salad! Though I'm sorry I never got a chance to—"

"Bella," Mike interrupted. His voice was a low growl.

"Yes?" I peeped, looking up at him almost pleadingly.

"Hush."

I blinked back the immediate burning of tears that threatened to escape. "Okay," I complied weakly. It wasn't like I could say no.

"…and let me kiss you," he finished, surprising me completely.

My eyes instantly widened as a nervous tingle ran down my spine. "I—um…oh, uh…yeah, okay—"

I had barely been able to complete in incoherent reply before Mike dove into me, mouth first.

His hard lips crashed into my unprepared ones with enough force to slam my head back on the metal car door. My heart was pounding, and my hands were sweating. Mike's mouth was all over mine and his hands were gripping my waist rather tightly, pulling my hips flush with his thighs. He groaned and wrenched my lips open with his, breathing into my mouth and, to my grand surprise, thrusting his tongue so far into my mouth that I fought the urge to gag._ Oh my God, Oh my God! _His tongue was in my mouth and, jeez! It was so slimy and persistent, rubbing up against my tongue and feeling thick inside my mouth. The thing was like a giant slug, dragging itself from one side of my cheek to the other, running along my teeth and sliding up against my own timid tongue that had no idea what to do with the intruder.

_C'mon, snap into it!_ I wanted to respond in some way and somehow kiss him back—but he was being so rough! I had no idea where to start. I found myself sliding my hands around his neck—not because it was what I had seen in movies, but because he was jerking my little body around so much that I had to hold on to _something_ for dear life. I curled my hands in his hair to get a better grip, but this only seemed to spur Mike on more than ever. He moaned loudly in my mouth and continued to suck my face off and pulled me even tighter against him.

This was my first kiss and I was blowing the experience for myself. _Just focus Bella. Focus. Imagine you're in a movie and you're with the perfect guy. Kiss him back. Kiss him as if he was your Prince Charming. And if not that, kiss him because this is your first kiss and you might as well gain some experience while you're here._

As soon as I took ownership of my nagging thoughts, I kissed Mike back. Forcing my lips to move in sync with his, I gained control of my tongue and made it wrestle against Mike's, which was something he appeared to really enjoy. It was tough though, because he was so overpowering. All the sudden his hands dipped all the way down to my ass. I let out a shocked breath against his lips when he gathered my ass in his hands, scooped it up, and squeezed rather firmly with both full hands.

Mike finally unfastened his lips from mine to trail them down my jaw and neck while still squeezing my butt. He muttered incoherent things in between kisses as I focusedon this what kissing was all about? If it was, then sign me out. I felt like a sea urchin was violating my mouth.

With his hands still on my ass, Mike slowly lifted the fabric of my dress in the back, exposing my almost bare ass to the chilly wind. I wouldn't say my sparse fishnet stockings were sufficient enough to protect my skin from the natural elements.

I began to panic a little bit. He was lifting my dress! What was he planning to do? I let out a sharp hiss when my practically bare ass was roughly pushed up against the metal of his car which was absolutely _frigid _against my exposed skin_. _

Mike however, swallowed my gasp with his hungry mouth and messily plunged his tongue down my throat yet another time. Thankfully, he scooted my hips away from his freezing car, but not so thankfully, palmed my butt with his hands instead. A shock ran through me—but not a pleasant one. I didn't like the feeling of Mike's hands all over my ass, especially now that it was uncovered. This was skin on skin action that I did not feel comfortable with in the slightest.

Fortunately, Mike moved his hands from my ass and returned them to my waist. It wasn't until I realized that his hands kept moving upwards that I began to feel panicked all over again.

He was making an obvious move towards my breasts and that was absolutely _not okay._ I struggled against him and managed to separate our mouths.

"Mike!" I gasped.

"Mmmm." He had already moved on to my collar bone with his lips.

"Can we…" Shit! What could I say while still obeying the Yes Game? "I'm cold."

That made Mike falter in both his kisses and his journey up to my breasts. "Hmm?"

"I said I'm cold," I repeated, doing my best to discreetly separate us. "And we're in the middle of a parking lot."

Mike eventually discontinued his kissing and squeezed my ribcage. Slowly backing up he met my eyes again. "Oh. Shit. You're right." He was even more out of breath then I was and his cheeks were soft pink too. Mike cleared his throat and weakened his grip on me. "Let's get out of here."

Thank you Jesus! The words were music to my ears. Before I could turn and scramble into the car, Mike grabbed me by the back of my neck and jerked me forwards. He planted a brief yet harsh kiss against my lips and then abruptly pulled away and retreated back to the driver's side of his car. I blinked a couple times in a daze, but eventually snapped out of it and opened the passenger door to let myself in.

Mike didn't even wait until I was properly seated or buckled in before starting the car and tearing out of the parking lot. After settling in my seat and securing in my own safety, I allowed myself to take a lingering glance over to my date, and when I did, I instantaneously felt a huge drop in my stomach as I realized what exactly had just happened.

I just experienced my very first kiss tonight.

It was unceremonious.

It was unromantic.

And to be quite frank, it was a bit slobbery too.

Honestly, what the hell was the big hoopla about? After tonight, I could survive without kissing anyone _like that_ else for a long, long while.

Despite my slightly nauseated feelings regarding the whole make out thing, in a strange way I was happy that I had gotten it over with. I'd still be a kissing virgin if it weren't up to the Yes Game, and quite honestly, I'd probably be still an everything-virgin (ie cliff-diving-virgin, bikini-wearing-virgin, a date-virgin, etc.) hadn't I agreed to Jake's ridiculous bet.

I could go home now feeling grateful to have finally gone through a handful of fundamental experiences a teenager my age ought to experience, and for that I was proud of myself.

Mike, with only one loose hand on the wheel, turned to me and trailed his ravenous eyes up and down my body. "You're so fucking hot. I can't wait to get my hands on you again," he threatened—er said to me with explosive intention. He quickly used his free hand to reach over and squeeze my thigh forcefully as he sucked in a sharp breath.

Before I could respond to his, well, forward assertions, I noticed that we had whizzed by the street we needed to turn on to get to my house.

"Um, Mike? We just passed my house."

Mike began slowly messaging my upper leg and I fought the intense urge to rip his hand off. Why didn't I rip it off? I dunno. I guess it was a sick combination of my will to entirely succumb to warped the principles of the Yes Game, and my overbearing curiosity that came with my first real non-platonic interaction with a member of the opposite sex.

I didn't push him off because when I had said yes to the date, I had said yes to everything the date entailed. I'm sixteen for crying out loud. It's time grow up and experience what it felt like to have a guy's hand squeeze my bare thigh as we drove into the night going God Knows Where.

Speaking of which…

"Mike! Did you hear me? Aren't you taking me home?" I questioned dubiously.

A small smirk quirked my date's lips as he turned his head again to address me properly. "No, I've got something way better in store for us. Ah, here we are."

My heart began thumping painfully which each word that trickled out of this upturned mouth. Reluctantly, I gazed out the window and immediately spotted our destination.

I sucked in a sharp breath as we slowly approached a large house at the end of the dark street. The house had all of its lights on and a bucket load of teens milling about the front yard. Even from a distance I could feel the dull thump of the bass that pounded from within the house, and I immediately scanned the area for hidden police officers ready to pounce on the nearest underage victim.

"A party? You're taking me to a _party_?" I accused incredulously. My expression was panicked, and I didn't try to hide it.

Mike didn't look at me as he navigated his car into the nearest parking spot. "Yeah babe, why not? It'll be fun, I promise."

"I-I don't know…" I stammered helplessly. Mike removed his keys from the ignition and hopped out of the car without another word. "Damn it!" I cursed to myself before gradually letting myself down from his giant car. Just as I closed the door from outside, I felt Mike's arm curl around my waist as he propelled me towards the house. Like a child not wanting to go take a bath, I dragged my feet in insistent resistance, hoping the knucklehead would catch my drift. "Mike, I'm not so sure about this…" I protested waveringly.

Mike halted when we reached the sidewalk to stare down at me with pleading eyes. "Babe, please. Do this for me? "

My gaze shifted around us nervously, taking in the various teenagers that drifted about. "But I don't even know these people!" I cried in a hushed tone.

Mike looked down at me as if I were crazy. "What do you mean you don't know any of these people? You know practically all of them! We've gone to the same school with these kids since preschool." Sensing my skepticism, Mike pressed on. "Look, there's Michaela Hurst and Ryan Betts right there." He nodded his chin over to a couple making out next to the garage door. The girl (_Michaela Hurst, is that seriously her?) _had her hands dug into the guy's hair and her tongue visibly sliding into (and outside of, _gag_) his mouth. The guy (Ryan Betts? There's _no_ way) had blatantly shoved both hands up the front of her shirt and fondled _her you-know-whats_ from within her top with no sense of decency whatsoever. I snapped my attention away from the offending sight, but I knew the damage was done. My cheeks were on fire.

"And look, there's Josh Weinberg with Aden Smith over there. You know them right?" Mike pointed to two guys standing near the entrance of the house. How Mike had been able to identify our two classmates behind all of that cigarette smoke they puffed in front of their faces, I hadn't a clue.

Mike turned to me with what he must of thought was an adorable smile. "See? You know all these people; you just haven't given any of them a chance. Come with me?" While he spoke, Mike was almost able to maintain eye contact with me the whole time. He slipped up near the end though and gazed down my shirt longingly.

"Mike…" I protested weakly. I really, really, really didn't want to be here right now. This wasn't my crowd and I was scared. Who knows what kind of shit went down at these kinds of parties?

But always persistent, Mike made a grab for my waist and pulled my body up against his. He lowered his mouth down to my ear and hissed, "C'mon baby, come with me. I promise I'll make it worth your while. Let me show you off to my buddies, okay? You're too hot to hide." He lowered his hand and squeezed my ass—hard—and rolled his hips against me once while breathing heavily on my neck. "What do you say gorgeous?" He breathed before darting his tongue out to lick my earlobe.

_Ewwww_. I needed him to get away from me, and fast. As soon as I managed to pull my face away from him, he dove into me again, pressing himself even harder against me.

"Okay! Okay! I'll go in!" I conceded in a rush. Mike froze—thank God—and pulled away—double thank God—to smile at down at me triumphantly.

"Seriously? You will?" He asked eagerly, eyes dancing with hope.

Oh dear Lord Jesus what the heck did I get myself into? Mustering up all the strength I could, I sucked in a shaky breath, nodded my head once, and finally, blew out the dreaded words before I could stop myself.

"Yes."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Mwuhahaha; ) Gotta love Bella's glaring innocence right? And Mikes...er…directness. And who in the heck is Mystery Boy? **

**Review! (And maybe you'll get a hint or two…)**

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